Przewalskia tangutica - A tropane alkaloid-containing plant.

Przewalskia tangutica Maxim. (Solanaceae), a plant of Tibetan traditional medicine, was investigated. Contents of tropine, cuscohygrine, (-)-6beta-hydroxyhyoscyamine, hyoscyamine, apoatropine, scopolamine and daturamine were determined (Table I). The roots of this plant showed high contents of both hyoscyamine (major constituent) and total alkaloids, amounting to 1.67-3.82% and 2.06-4.01%, respectively. This plant and the crude drugs prepared from it are noteworthy as new sources of tropane alkaloids. The occurrence of tropane alkaloids in solanaceous plants of China is discussed briefly (Table II).