Pyrrolizidine alkaloids: evidence for the involvement of spermidine and spermine in the biosynthesis of retronecine
Abstract
Putrescine, spermidine, and spermine are efficient precursors of retronecine in Senecio isatideus plants; degradations of labelled alkaloids indicate that a symmetrical intermediate of the type C4–N–C4 is involved in the biosynthesis.