Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA's) are potentially toxic, naturally occurring secondary products often found in the plant family Heliotropiaceae in the order Boraginales. As a part of continuing alkaloid analysis of the order Boraginales, three southwestern North American species in the genus Euploca, E. powelliorum, E. torreyi, and E. confertifolium, were analyzed using instrumental methodologies. This is the first attempt to determine a comprehensive PA description of these species. Euploca torreyi and the recently discovered E. powelliorum are morphologically similar taxa while E. confertifolium is evolutionarily divergent. Preliminary TLC and GCMS analyses of E. torreyi indicate the presence of multiple compounds that differ principally in amino alcohol structures. In contrast, E. powelliorum and E. confertifolium revealed fewer PA’s in their chemical composition. GCMS analysis of the former taxon exhibited 9-angeloyl retronecine and heliospathine or their stereoisomers, while the latter exhibited lycopsamine and intermedine or their stereoisomers. Further GCMS and NMR analysis of each species may substantiate the previous tentative identifications or elucidate the presence of other structurally related PA's.

Determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Euploca powelliorum, E. torreyi, and E. confertifolium

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