Chromatographic investigation of alkaloid fractions from the leaves of Peumus boldus
Molina revealed the presence of 17 alkaloidal components. Four of these were correlated with previously isolated aporphine constituents and two others were isolated and identified as (+) reticuline and isoboldine.
HE LEAVES of the Chilean evergreen shrub T Peumus boldus Molina (boldo leaves) have long been used as a choleretic, diuretic, stomachic, sedative, and anthelmintic (1). Preparations from the leaf have not been official in the N F since 1936, but the drug is still used, especially in "over-thecounter" remedies. Some 40 preparations containing the drug are currently available in Canada.
The activity of the leaves has been variously ascribed to the alkaloid, the glycoside, or the essential oil content (1).
Boldine (I, RI
= 113 = H, RZ = CHa) was isolated from P . boldus by Merck in 1922 (2) and its structure determined 10 years later (3). By paper chromatography Riiegger, in 1959 (4), detected the presence of 11 alkaloids and he isolated and characterized three of these: isocorydine (11, R = CH:g), norisocorydine (11, R = H), and N-methyllaurotetanine (I, R3 = H, R 1 = RP = CH3).