It has since been found in Annona squamosa, the leaves of Michelia × alba, Fissistigma latifolium and Goniothalamus australis, among many others.

The methanol is removed and the resulting syrup is then treated with hydrochloric acid and the insoluble salts filtered off.

The hydrogen chloride salt is then obtained by mixing with hydrochloric acid and recrystallized from diethyl ether.

[2] The anonaine content of Annona reticulata is approximately 0.12%, based on the weight of the starting dried bark.

[6] The mechanism by which anonaine induces apoptosis in these cells is believed to occur by several mechanisms: generation of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, reduction in intracellular glutathione concentration, activation of caspases and apoptosis-related proteins, and damage to DNA.