| Abstract | dc.description.abstract | Trichocereus chilensis (Colla) Br. & R. is the only Chilean member of its genus figuring in
the literature as having been examined for alkaloids, although previous reports are negative.
Djerassi and coworkers1 found no alkaloids in this cactus. AgureIl,2 who specifies that no
attempt was made to detect quaternary bases and discusses the sensitivity of his methods for
non-quaternary amines, also reports no alkaloids in detectable amounts in T. chilensis. In
the present communication we wish to report on the presence of both quaternary and nonquaternary
bases in this species.
Due to extremely low yields, only candicine was isolated and identified as its iodide,
following CastrilIón's method.3 TLC of the chloroform-soluble material, containing large
amounts of non-alkaloidal substances, showed five Dragendorff-positive spots; the separation
and structural assignment of these alkaloids is now being attempted. The candicine
iodide was analyzed for C, H and N, and both its analysis and its m.p. are in fuIl accordance
with Reti's data.4 Mixed m.p. with an authentic sample and comparison of the IR spectra
confirmed our identification. | es_CL |
