Planta Med 2012; 78 - PI325
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1321012

Neuroprotective alkaloids isolated from tubers of Corydalis ternata

WS Suh 1, SH Jung 2, SH Shim 1
  • 1School of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, 214–1 Dae-dong, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk 712–749, Republic of Korea
  • 2Natural Products Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Gangneung Institute, Daejeon-dong, Gangneung 210–340, Republic of Korea

The tuber of Corydalis ternata (Papaveraceae) has been used not only as analgesic but also for the treatment of inflammatory, allergic diseases, and dysfunction in the traditional Korean medicine. Previous pharmacological studies of Corydalis species found that its extracts exhibited anti-gastric ulcer effect and showed significant inhibitory effects on acetlycholinesterase. The genus Corydalis is known to contain a number of isoquinoline alkaloids including protoberberine alkaloids and aporphine alkaloids. Our phytochemical study of neuroprotective compoundsproduced by Corydalis ternata led to the isolation of seven alkaloids including tetrahydrocoptisine (1), corydaline (2), tetrahydropalmatine (3), corybulbine (4), dehydrocorydaline (5), N-methyltetrahydroberbinium (6) and one unconfirmed compound (7). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods such as 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 1H-1H COSY, HMQC, HMBC and comparison with the literature. Their structure determination and neuroprotective effects on retinal ganglion cells will be presented.