Brian R. Worth

Alkaloid production in Catharanthus roseus cell cultures: isolation and characterization of alkaloids from one cell line.

Abstract A detailed study of one cell line (coded as 943) of Catharanthus roseus cell cultures has revealed the presence of the following alkaloids: ajmalicine, vallesiachotamine, horhammerinine, horhammericine, vindolinine, 19- epi - vindolinine, 19-acetoxy-11-methoxytabersonine, 19-acetoxy-11 -hydroxytabersonine, 19-hydroxy- 11-methoxytabersonine, yohimbine and isositsirikine, together with dimethyltryptamine and a new strychnos-type alkaloid.

Alkaloid production in Catharanthus roseus cell cultures: Initial studies on cell lines and their alkaloid content☆

Abstract Several hundred serially cultured cell suspensions derived from three cultivars of periwinkle ( Catharanthus roseus ) were established in Gamborgs B 5 medium and then transferred to Zenks alkaloid production medium. Total alkaloid concentration ranged from 0.1 to 1.5% of dry weight. Alkaloids present were of the corynanthe, strychnos and aspidosperma types, with the greatest diversity arising during the third to the fifth week of subculturing. The alkaloid content appeared both specific for, and reproducible in, individual cell lines.

Isolation and characterization of natural products from plant tissue cultures of Maytenus buchananii

Abstract Explants of Maytenus buchananii were induced to form a callus aid subsequently to form suspension cultures on a wide variety of media. Culture extracts showed cytotoxic activity, but examination by TLC did not indicate the presence of maytansine. Isolation of natural products from a large scale suspension culture led to the identification of polpunonic acid, sitosterol and the cytotoxic triterpene quinone-methides, tingenone and 22β-hydroxytingenone. Possible biosynthetic relationships of these and other triterpene quinone-methides are discussed.

Studies in plant tissue culture. The synthesis and biosynthesis of indole alkaloids

Abstract Studies involving plant tissue cultures of Catharanthus roseus are described. Investigations concerning the propagation of cell lines of this plant for the purposes of producing indole alkaloids within the Corynanthe, Aspidosperma and Iboga families are presented. The utilization of such tissue culture systems for studies in biosyntheses and isolation of enzymes are also discussed.

Radioimmunoassay determination of vindoline

Abstract A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the Aspidosperma alkaloid vindoline has been developed. Antibody production was achieved by injection of vindoline-bovine serum albumin conjugate into rabbits. The RIA method is specific and sensitive with detection limits of 5 ng of alkaloid.

The chemistry of thujone: I. Synthesis of insect juvenile hormone analogs via wittig coupling

Abstract Syntheses of the C 8 and C 10 olefinic units cis - and trans -5-ethyl-1-iodo-hex-4-enes and cis - and trans -7-ethyl-3-iodo-oct-6-enes are described. The Wittig coupling of such units with derivatives of α- and β-thujaketonic acids to give analogs of insect juvenile hormones is discussed.