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DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1352175
Isolation and quantification of alkaloids from Tetrapterys mucronata – a plant used in the ayahuasca preparation
Tetrapterys mucronata Cav. (Malpighiaceae) is a plant used in some regions of Brazil in ayahuasca preparation a psychotropic plant decoction [1]. To assess the phytochemical composition of T. mucronata and understand its traditional use, aqueous and methanolic extracts were investigated. Their HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS profiles have been determined. The isolation of the main compounds of the methanolic extract was performed by a direct transfer of analytical HPLC conditions to medium pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC). This resulted in the isolation of six alkaloids and one new phenanthrene derivative. Since tryptamine and β-carboline alcaloids are known to have powerful hallucinogenic activities, an HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method has been developed for their quantification in T. mucronata water and methanolic extracts. These results provide a rational support for the traditional use of T. mucronata stem bark in ayahuasca preparations, since β-carboline alkaloids are present in a relevant amount.
Reference:
[1] Ott, J., Ayahuasca analogues: Pangæan entheogens. 1st ed.; Natural Products Co.: Kennewick, WA, 1994; p 127.