Biotransformations of protoberberines in cell cultures of Dicentra spectablis

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0031-9422(97)00500-1

A liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry procedure was applied to biotransformation experiments in cultured cells of Dicentra, spectablis. Interconversions of tetrahydroberberine and berberine and those of cis- and trans-13-methyltetrahydroprotoberberines and 13-methylberberine were demonstrated. The corresponding α-N-metho salts having the B/C-cis ring-junction were produced from cis-and trans-13-methyltetrahydroprotoberberines. These findings show that the metabolism of protoberberines in D. spectablis proceeds analogously to that found in Cordyalis species.