Metabolism of [14C]nicotine in wild species of Nicotiana.

Nicotine metabolism was studied in a number of wild species of the genus Nicotiana. It was shown that exogenous alkaloid, labeled with 14C on the methyl, as well as in each of the heterocycles individually, when introduced into the above-ground organs of these species during the period of their vegetative development, is actively metabolized. It was established that as a result of the conversions of exogenous nicotine, anabasine is formed in anabasine species of the genus Nicotiana, while nornicotine is formed in nornicotine and certain nicotine species. It can be assumed that the low content of alkaloids in wild species of the genus Nicotiana is due to the fact that the ability of these species to metabolize the indicated compounds is considerably more pronounced than in cultivated tobaccos.