Presence of isoquinoline alkaloids in molluscan ganglia.

UNLABELLED Tetrahydropapaveroline and reticuline, isoquinoline alkaloids, were purified and identified in the pedal ganglia of the marine mollusk Mytilus edulis. OBJECTIVES To determine the presence of tetrahydropapaveroline and reticuline, isoquinoline alkaloids, in animal tissues previously shown to express opiate receptors. METHODS AND RESULTS This was achieved by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection and finally identified by electro-spray ionization quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF). The expression of these two terahydroisoquinoline alkaloids in the animals neural tissue is at the level of 2.5+/-0.64 ng/ganglion and 1.8+/-0.52 ng/ganglion, respectively. CONCLUSION This finding suggests that morphine biosynthesis may occur in Mytilus neural tissues, and that the biosynthesis pathway may be similar to that reported in the poppy plant.