Alkaloids in Madagascan Frogs (Mantella): Pumiliotoxins, Indolizidines, Quinolizidines, and Pyrrolizidines

Brightly colored ranid frogs of the genus Mantella are found only in rain forests of Madagascar. Gc-ms and gc-Ft-ir analyses of skin alkaloids of seven different species, including four populations of Mantella madagascariensis, are reported. All contain one or more representatives of the pumiliotoxin A (PTX-A) class with the 13,14-dihydro derivatives 309A and 325A found in major amounts in the four populations of M. madagascariensis, while 307A (PTX-A) is found in two populations of M. madagascariensis and in three additional species, Mantella aurantiaca, Mantella viridis, and Mantella crocea. The latter three species also contain appreciable quantities of 323A (PTX-B). The four populations of M. madagascariensis show major amounts of two 1,4-disubstituted quinolizidines, 217A and 231A, and a 5,8-disubstituted indolizidine, 217B, in addition to many minor or trace quinolizidines and indolizidines. Such disubstituted quinolizidines and indolizidines are present as trace alkaloids in the six other species of Mantella, along with 3,5-disubstituted indolizidines, 3,5-disubstituted pyrrolizidines, the decahydroquinoline cis-195A, tricyclic alkaloids, and homopumiliotoxins. A new alkaloid class, which appears to contain a quinolizidine moiety, is seen in M. aurantiaca and M. crocea and is represented by 235C and several congeners.