Seasonal study of the alkaloid pattern of Huperzia saururus with habitat in Córdoba province (Argentina).

ORTEGA, M. G., A. M. AGNESE, G. E. BARBOZA & J. L. CABRERA

Journal of the Argentine Chemical Society

ASOCIACIÓN QUÝMICA ARGENTINA

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2007 vol. 95 p. 1 - 9

0365-0375

Previous chemical studies on specimens of Huperzia saururus (Lam.) Trevis. collected in different parts of the world showed significant differences in the alkaloid content. In Córdoba (Argentina) the chemical pattern was characterized by the presence of three main alkaloids: sauroine, sauroxine, and 6-hydroxylycopodine. This fact remarkably differs from the patterns informed for specimens collected in Quito (Ecuador), Kahuzi and Ruwenzori (Zaire), and Sabyinyo (Rwanda) where their marker alkaloids are clavolonine and lycopodine that in time differ from those mentioned by other authors of unknown specimen provenance. As a consequence, we undertook a seasonal study by analyzing the qualitative-quantitative content of alkaloids by using GLC-MS and GLC-FID respectively, of specimens collected in Cordoba (Argentina) at the same site during the four seasons of the year in order to investigate if the discrepancies were a result of biosynthetic modifications due to seasonal reasons. Obtained results did not confirm the proposed hypothesis since the chemical pattern showed no significant variations among the different seasons of the year. Thus, the chemical differences among own results and the studies in other parts of the world could complement the systematic antecedents existent to help to resolve on the possibility that more than one species has been involved in the different investigations.Huperzia saururus (Lam.) Trevis. collected in different parts of the world showed significant differences in the alkaloid content. In Córdoba (Argentina) the chemical pattern was characterized by the presence of three main alkaloids: sauroine, sauroxine, and 6-hydroxylycopodine. This fact remarkably differs from the patterns informed for specimens collected in Quito (Ecuador), Kahuzi and Ruwenzori (Zaire), and Sabyinyo (Rwanda) where their marker alkaloids are clavolonine and lycopodine that in time differ from those mentioned by other authors of unknown specimen provenance. As a consequence, we undertook a seasonal study by analyzing the qualitative-quantitative content of alkaloids by using GLC-MS and GLC-FID respectively, of specimens collected in Cordoba (Argentina) at the same site during the four seasons of the year in order to investigate if the discrepancies were a result of biosynthetic modifications due to seasonal reasons. Obtained results did not confirm the proposed hypothesis since the chemical pattern showed no significant variations among the different seasons of the year. Thus, the chemical differences among own results and the studies in other parts of the world could complement the systematic antecedents existent to help to resolve on the possibility that more than one species has been involved in the different investigations.