Recent Strategies for the Synthesis of Protoberberines and Protoberberine Type Compounds

The protoberberines are a widespread, important group of isoquinoline alkaloids. Due to the potent pharmacological and other bioactive properties they have achieved an increasing attention in medicinal chemistry and drug research. This article will give a brief structural classification of the protoberberines and related compounds, the biosynthesis, a compilation of new alkaloids isolated during the last decade including source, structure and analytical/spectral data. The main part of the present review is focused on recent synthesis pathways to the title compounds.