A rare head–head binding pattern in bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids

Abstract

Bioassay-guided fractionation of Berberis tabiensis against Culex quinquefasciatus third instar larvae afforded a new bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid having an unusual head–head binding pattern. This new alkaloid (tabienine B) is the first member of this family found to possess a diphenyl ether bridge in C-6 and C-7′.

Keywords:

• Berberis tabiensis
• Berberis
• Berberidaceae
• benzylisoquinoline
• isoquinoline
• Culex

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Universidad Nacional de Colombia for financially supporting this study (DIB research project No. 8003394), the Chemistry Department for providing the laboratory facilities and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia's Medicine Faculty's Toxicology laboratory for rearing the mosquito larvae.