Document Type : Short communication
Authors
1
Department of Genetics, TeMS. C, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2
Medicinal Plants Research Center, Go. C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran. & Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Go. C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran.
3
Medicinal Plants Research Center, Go. C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran. & Department of Chemistry, Go. C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran.
4
Department of Bioinformatics and Biological Statistics, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
5
Medicinal Plants Research Center, Go. C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran. & Department of Plant Science, Go. C, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran.
6
Department of Integrative Oncology, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Background: Vinca herbacea Waldst. & Kit. is a relatively understudied species of the Apocynaceae family, distributed across temperate regions of Asia and Europe, with verified populations in northern Iran, particularly within the Hyrcanian forests. The family is well known for producing monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), such as vinblastine and vincristine, which possess potent anticancer activities. Vindolinine, an important indole alkaloid and a biosynthetic precursor of these chemotherapeutic agents, has not been previously reported in V. herbacea.
Materials and Methods: In June 2024, aerial parts of V. herbacea (leaves, stems, and flowers) were collected from the Baleskuh Protected Area in Mazandaran Province, Iran. Plant materials were extracted using ethanol, n-propanol, and butanol through cold maceration, and all extracts were analyzed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Compound identification was performed using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Wiley spectral libraries.
Results: Vindolinine was detected predominantly in the ethanolic extracts of leaves and stems, with retention times of 55.22 and 55.28 minutes, respectively, and was absent in flowers. The mass spectral data showed strong similarity to reference spectra (CAS: 5980-02-9), confirming its presence. The organ-specific pattern suggests higher biosynthetic accumulation in photosynthetically active tissues.
Conclusion: This study provides the first global report of vindolinine in V. herbacea, highlighting northern Iran as a natural source of this rare and pharmacologically crucial alkaloid. These findings expand the phytochemical knowledge of the species and provide a basis for future biotechnological, pharmacological, and conservation-oriented studies.
Keywords
Main Subjects
)