Review of β-carboline alkaloids from the genus Aspidosperma.

Plants belonging to the genus Aspidosperma, a member of the family Apocynaceae, provide a rich source of β-carboline alkaloids, which makes them potentially poisonous. However, some of these alkaloids possess antitumor and antimicrobial activity. The present review is a survey of the β-carboline alkaloids and shows that they comprise of a diverse array of structural modifications.