First Global Report of the Alkaloids Quebrachamine in Vinca herbacea From Northern Iran Using GC-MS

Background: Vinca herbacea Waldst. & Kit. (Apocynaceae) is a lesser-studied perennial species native to the Hyrcanian forests of northern Iran. The genus Vinca is renowned for producing monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs) with significant pharmacological properties. Quebrachamine, a bioactive indole alkaloid with vasodilatory, neuroprotective, and antioxidant activities, has been reported in other Vinca species but has never been documented in V. herbacea. Objective: This study aimed to identify and characterize the presence of quebrachamine in the aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) of V. herbacea collected from northern Iran using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Methods: Plant samples were collected from the Baleskuh Protected Area, Tonekabon, in June ۲۰۲۴. Cold maceration extraction was performed separately using ethanol, n-propanol, and n-butanol. GC–MS analysis was conducted using an Agilent ۶۸۹۰–۵۹۷۳ system equipped with an HP-۵MS column. Compound identification was established based on the Wiley and NIST spectral libraries. Results: Quebrachamine was detected exclusively in the ethanolic extracts of stems (۶.۱۸%, RT ۵۲.۰۴ min) and leaves (۱.۷۱%, RT ۵۲.۰۳ min), with spectral match qualities greater than ۹۵%. No quebrachamine was detected in the n-propanol or n-butanol extracts, nor was it found in flower tissues, indicating a strict solvent- and organ-specific accumulation pattern. Conclusion: This constitutes the first global report of quebrachamine in V. herbacea. Its predominant presence in vegetative and photosynthetic tissues suggests active biosynthesis in the leaves and stems. These findings highlight the species as a promising natural source of bioactive alkaloids and emphasize the need for further isolation, structural confirmation, bioactivity assays, and conservation strategies—including tissue culture and domestication—for sustainable utilization.

کلیدواژه ها:

Iran ، Vinca herbacea ، Quebrachamine ، Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)