Calystegines in wild and cultivated Erythroxylum species

Calystegines were identified in the genus Erythroxylum for the first time. Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense, a species cultivated for cocaine production, contained 0.2% total calystegines in dry leaves. Forty six Erythroxylum herbarium species consisting mostly of leaf tissue were analysed for calystegines, and 38 were found positive. Calystegines were compared qualitatively and quantitatively between individual Erythroxylum species. Calystegines A(3) and B(2) were the major calystegines in most species. Total calystegine content reached up to 0.32% dry mass. The simultaneous occurrence of calystegines, cocaine, other alkaloids of a 3alpha-hydroxy- or 3beta-hydroxytropane structure together with nicotine supports the concept of common biosynthetic steps of these alkaloids in Erythroxylum. The present results are the basis for further investigations of the phylogenetic origin of tropane alkaloid biosynthesis in the taxonomically remote families Solanaceae and Erythroxylaceae.