The alkaloid extract from roots of naturally growing Convolvulus arvensis, purified by ion-exchange chromatography, showed significant inhibitory activity toward beta-glucosidase and alpha-galactosidase. The demonstrated occurrence of polyhydroxy-nortropane alkaloids, the calystegins, in C. arvensis and their structural similarity to known polyhydroxy alkaloid glycosidase inhibitors, suggested that these might be responsible for the observed activity. Pure calystegins, isolated from transformed root cultures of the related plant species Calystegia sepium, were tested for glycosidase inhibitory activity. The purity of the alkaloids was established by gas chromatography and their identity confirmed by their mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns. The trihydroxy alkaloid, calystegin A3, was a moderately good inhibitor of beta-glucosidase (Ki = 4.3 x 10(-5) M) and a weak inhibitor of alpha-galactosidase (Ki = 1.9 x 10(-4) M). An increased level of hydroxylation, as in the tetrahydroxy calystegins B, consisting of 27% calystegin B1 and 73% calystegin B2, resulted in greatly enhanced inhibitory activity. The calystegins B were potent inhibitors of beta-glucosidase (Ki = 3 x 10(-6) M) and alpha-galactosidase (Ki = 7 x 10(-6) M). These levels of activity are comparable with those of the polyhydroxy indolizidine alkaloids castanospermine and swainsonine toward alpha-glucosidase and alpha-mannosidase, respectively, and of the polyhydroxy pyrrolizidine alkaloid australine toward alpha-glucosidase. The calystegins therefore compose a new structural class of polyhydroxy alkaloids, the nortropanes, possessing potent glycosidase inhibitory properties.