Constituents of West African medicinal plants. XXX. Tridictyophylline, a new morphinan alkaloid from Triclisia dictyophylla

Triclisia dictyophylla Diels (Menispermaceae) is a woody climber indigenous to West Africa which has been used natively as a medicinal in the treatment of several ailments. Chromatography of an extract of the whole plant afforded tridictophylline (3), a new morphinan alkaloid whose structure was established by a consideration of spectral data and confirmed by x-ray crystallographic analysis. The bisbenzylisoquinoline dibenzodioxin alkaloids cocsuline (1) and trigilletimine (2) were also isolated from the same extract.