From the extract of Catharanthus roseus tissue cultures 16 different indole alkaloids have been isolated belonging to heteroyohimbane, aspidosperma and iboga types. The structures were deduced by UV, NMR and mass spectrometry.
Ajmalicine (1) and catharanthine (16) were found to be the major constituents, tetra-hydroalstonine (2), akuammigine (3), 3-isoajmalicine (4), pleiocarpamine (6), akuammiline (6), tabersonine (7), 20-hydroxytabersonine (8), lochnericine (9), horhammericine (10), minovincinine (11), vindolinine (12), 20-epivindolinine (13), vindolinine -Nb-oxide (14) and 20-epivindolinine-Nb-oxide (15) could be determined as minor or trace alkaloids.