A novel metabolite of strychnine, 22-hydroxystrychnine.

1. An unknown metabolite of strychnine termed M-5 was isolated, from an incubation mixture using guinea pig liver microsomes, by repeated preparative t.l.c. 2. The structure of M-5 was shown to be 22-hydroxystrychnine by mass, n.m.r. and i.r. spectrometry. 3. 22-Hydroxystrychnine is a stable enol, a unique metabolite possessing a hydroxyl group on the double bond of the alicylic moiety.