The Open Bioactive Compounds Journal
2011, 2 : 29-36Published online 2009 September 15 . DOI: 10.2174/1874847300902010029
Publisher ID: TOBCJ-2-29
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Bioactive Alkaloids from South American and Related Species
1
Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
2 Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
3 Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
* Address correspondence to this author at the Center for Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, P.O Box 15005, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, Postal Code: 91501-970, Brazil; Tel: 55 51 3308 7642; Fax: 55 51 3308 7309; E-mail: fettneto@cbiot.ufrgs.br
2 Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
3 Departamento de Botânica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
* Address correspondence to this author at the Center for Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, P.O Box 15005, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil, Postal Code: 91501-970, Brazil; Tel: 55 51 3308 7642; Fax: 55 51 3308 7309; E-mail: fettneto@cbiot.ufrgs.br
ABSTRACT
Many important molecules have been discovered from tropical and sub-tropical plant biodiversity. However, the largest part of the chemical profile of such biodiversity remains unknown. Combining ethnopharmacological and chemotaxonomical investigation can be a good strategy in bioactive compound discovery. South American Psychotria species studied by this approach proved to be a rich source of new bioactive alkaloids, some of which bear unique chemical skeletons.