Cactus alkaloids XLII: 3,4-dimethoxy-beta-phenethylamine and heliamine from the Mexican cereoid Backebergia militaris.

Backebergia militaris (Andot) Bravo ex Sánchez Mejorada yielded alkaloid crystals from a fractionated ethanol extract of only 20 g of plant material. The alkaloid was identified as heliamine (6,7-dimethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline) hydrochloride. A second alkaloid, 3,4-dimethoxy-beta-phenethylamine hydrochloride, was crystallized after preparative TLC of the mother liquors. Both compounds were isolated previously from other cactus species.