leurosine/catharanthus

Additional and confirming chemical and spectroscopic evidence for vindolicine (4), roseadine (5), and leurosine-N'b-oxide (6) is presented. Leurosine-N'b-oxide (6) was found to be exceptionally active in the B-16 melanoma test system in vivo. Roseadine (5), a new isolate of Catharanthus roseus, and

The alkaloids of Catharanthus roseus vincristine 1 and vinblastine 2 are widely used in the chemotherapy of cancer. Their nitro-derivatives have also antitumour activity [2]. The dinitro-derivatives 4, 6-9 were prepared for pharmacological investigation. Some new hydroxymethyl derivatives 12-14,

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don, also known as Madagascar periwinkle or Sadabahar, is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae. Being a reservoir for more than 200 alkaloids, it reserves a place for itself in the list of important medicinal plants. Secondary metabolites are present in