Fahima F. Kassem

Sesquiterpene lactones from Lactuca sativa

Abstract The aerial parts of Lactuca sativa afforded lactucin, 1 11β,13-dihydrolactucin, lactupicrin, a new melampolide and 3β,14-dihydroxy-11β,13-dihydrocostunolide.

Nobilisitine a and B, two masanane-type alkaloids from Clivia nobilis

Abstract Two masanane-type lactone alkaloids, named nobilisitine A and B, were isolated from Egyptian Clivia nobilis and characterized by spectroscopic and chemical methods. Both compounds showed contain the same [2]benzopyrano [3,4- g ]indole ring system and therefore belong to the same subgroup of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. In particular, nobilisitine A and B, reported as two new alkaloids, proved to be the 5 β -hydroxy-3a,11c- epi -masan-7-one and the 3-hydroxybutanoyl ester of clivonine (5a-hydroxy-5a- epi -masan-7-one), the alkaloid previously extracted from Clivia miniata and belonging to the same alkaloid subgroup. Nobilisitine B appears to be an epimer at the acyl side chain of clivatine.

Hypnocretenolide derivatives from Hedypnois cretica

Abstract The aerial parts of Hedypnois cretica afforded four sesquiterpene lactones all closely related to hypnocretenolide. Two lactones were glucopyranosi