ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the alkaloids of Macleaya cordata.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The alkaloids were isolated and purified by various column chromatography as well as recrystallization. Their structures were identified by physico-chemical properties and spectral analysis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Thirteen alkaloids were isolated and identified as 6-methoxy-dihydrosanguinarine (1), norsanguinarine (2), 6-acetonyl-dihyrochelerythrine (3), 6-acetonyl-dihyrosanguinnarine (4), sanguidimerine (5), chelidimerine (6), (+/-) -bocconarborine A (7), (+/-)-bocconarborine B (8), cryptopine (9), dihydrosanguinarine (10), dihydrochelerythrine (11), protopine (12), alpha-allocryptopine (13).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compounds 2, 3, 5 - 9 were firstly isolated from the genus Macleaya and compound 1 was obtained from M. cordata for the first time.</p>