ALKALOIDS

- Livy

Alkaloids

Organic nitrogenous plant secondary metabolites which are pharmacologically active.

Alkaloid Base

Lipid soluble

Alkaloidal Salts

Water soluble

Mayer’s

Cream ppt; Potassium mercuric iodide.

Nessler’s

Brown ppt; Alkaline Potassium mercuric iodide.

Wagner’s

Reddish brown ppt; Iodine in potassium iodide.

Dragendorff’s

Reddish brown ppt; Potassium bismuth iodide.

Valser’s

White ppt; Mercuric iodide.

Marme’s

Cream ppt; Cadmium in KI.

Sonnenchein’s

Yellow ppt; Phosphomolybdic acid.

Schiebler’s

Yellow to orange ppt; Phosphotungstic acid.

Hager’s

Yellow ppt; Saturated picric acid.

Protalkaloids

Non-heterocyclic alkaloids containing nitrogen in a side chain.

Heterocyclic or Typical alkaloids

This contain nitrogen in a ring structure and chemically considered as an alkaloid

Ephedra/Ma huang (Ephedra sinica) Ephedrine

For hypotension, nasal congestion and asthma (Can be precursor for amphetamines)

Autumn crocus/Saffron meadow (Colchicum autumnale) Colchicine

DOC for acute gout (old) , anti-mitotic and for doubling of chromosomes

Khat/Abyssinian tea (Catha edulis) Cathenone

Euphoric (Amphetamine-like effect) and alleviate hunger

Peyote/Mescal buttons (Lophophora williamsii) Mescaline

Hallucinogenic and psychomimetic • Special note: Oldest/First phenylalkylamine alkaloid

Nicotine (Nicotania tabacum)

CNS stimulant; smoking deterrent. A derivative of Pyrrolidone

Areca or Betel Nut (Areca catechu)

Use: Stimulant masticatory, Taenicide, Anthelminthic (Veterinary)
High tannin content: Risk of mouth and esophageal cancer

Lobelia or Indian tobacco (Lobelia inflata) Lobeline

Less addictive than nicotine

Belladonna/Deadly night shade (Atropa belladonna)

Main constituents: Hyoscyamine & Atropine

Atropine

Anti-cholinergic and Antidote for cholinergic poisoning

Hyoscyamine

Anti spasmodic for menstruation

Hyoscyamus/Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger)

Main constituents: Hyoscyamine & Scopolamine

Scopolamine

Anti-motion sickness

Egyptian henbane (Hyoscyamus muticus)

contains Hyoscyamine

Talumpunay/Thorn apple (Datura metel)

Local source of Scopolamine/Hyoscine

Withania (Withania somnifera)

Main constituents: Tropine, Pseudotropine, and Hygrine
Use: Sedative

Stramomium/Jimson weed (Datura stramomium)

Special note: Burned to release the vapor as anti-asthma (Burnt weed)

Duboisia (Duboisia myoporoides)

Commercial source of Atropine

Pituri/Australian tobacco (Duboisa hopwoodii)

Nicotine, Nornicotine: Used like tobacco

Mandragora/European Mandrake (Mandragora officinarum)

contains Hyoscyamine, Scopolamine, Mandragorine

Coca/Coca leaves/Divine the plant of Incas
Erthroxylon coca or Huanuco coca

contains cocaine as its main constituent— the prototype of local anesthetics with vasoconstrictive properties— which acts by blocking dopamine reuptake and produces psychomotor stimulant and addictive effects.

Coca/Coca leaves/Divine the plant of Incas
Erthroxylon coca or Huanuco coca

contains cocaine which potentiates the analgesic effect of morphine and counteracts its sedative and respiratory depressive effects, and is included in the pharmaceutical preparation Brompton’s cocktail for pain management in cancer patients.

Cinchona bark/Peruvian bark

contains quinine (antimalarial) and quinidine (antiarrhythmic), and may cause cinchonism as a side effect, characterized by tinnitus, dizziness, and impaired eyesight.

Thalleioquinine reaction

It is the test for differentiation of quinine from quinidine, where a positive result with quinidine yields an emerald green colored solution.

Dita/Australian Quinine Bark (Alstonia scholaris)

Main constituent: Ditamine (antimalarial)

Cuprea bark (Remijia purdieana)

commercial source of Quinidine

Opium/Gum or Indian opium (Papaver somniferum)

this contains important alkaloids such as morphine (the most important), codeine (widely used as an antitussive), papaverine (a smooth muscle relaxant), anarcotine/noscapine, and thebaine, with main side effects including respiratory depression, pinpoint pupils, and coma.

Opium/Gum or Indian opium (Papaver somniferum)

Stone of immortality

Paregoric

a pharmaceuticals related to opium: a Camphorated opium tincture

Laudanum

a pharmaceuticals related to opium: opium tincture

Dover’s powder

a pharmaceuticals related to opium: ipecac + opium

Twilight sleep

a pharmaceuticals related to opium: Scopolamine + Morphine

Meconic acid

analytical marker for Opiates

Sanguinaria (Blood root, Sanguinaria canadensis)

contains the main constituents sanguinarine, the only red alkaloid, and chelerythrine, and is used as an expectorant and for cosmetic purposes.

Hydrastis (Goldenseal, Hydrastis canadensis)

contains the main constituents berberine and hydrastis and is used as an emetic.

Ipecac (Cephaelis ipecacuanha)

contains emetine, cephaline, and psychotrine, and is used as a local emetic for poisoning and as an anti-protozoan when given intramuscularly, working by inhibiting protein synthesis.

Tubocurare (Curare, Strychnos castelnaei)

contains tubocurarine, a skeletal muscle relaxant that acts as a non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocker causing paralysis, and is tested using the head drop rabbit test.

Snakeroot, Rauwolfia (Rauwolfia serpentina)

it is used as a hypotensive agent with psychotherapeutic effects.

Catharanthus/Vinca/Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)

contains vincristine, vinblastine, and vinorelbine, which act by arresting cell division at metaphase and are used as anti-cancer agents, for example in Hodgkin’s disease.

Nux vomica (seed of Strychnos nux vomica)

contains strychnine, a central stimulant, and brucine, used as an alcohol denaturant.

Ignatia/St. Ignatius Bean (Strychnos ignatia)

a commercial source of strychnine (vermin killer)

Physostigma/Calabar/Ordeal bean (Physostigma venenosum)

contains physostigmine, used for glaucoma and anti-cholinergic poisoning, and works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase to increase the effects of acetylcholine.

Rye ergot (Secale cornutum)

the dried sclerotium of Claviceps purpurea on rye bread

Ergonovine / Ergometrine

An oxytocic alkaloid used for managing postpartum hemorrhage.

Ergotamine

An ergot alkaloid used in the treatment of migraines.

Ergotism

Toxicity caused by the ingestion of ergot-contaminated grains or ergot alkaloids.

Gangrenous Ergotism (St. Anthony’s Fire)

A form of ergotism marked by tissue death due to excessive vasoconstriction.

Convulsive Ergotism

A form of ergotism characterized by convulsions, often associated with vitamin A deficiency.

Pilocarpus / Jaborandi (Pilocarpus jaborandii)

A plant source of pilocarpine, a direct muscarinic agonist used in the treatment of glaucoma.

Green hellebore (Veratrum viride)

used as an insecticide and contains germidine and germitrine, with effects that include slowing down the heartbeat and causing hypotension.

White hellebore (Veratrum album)

used as an insecticide and contains protoveratrine A and protoveratrine B, which slow down the heartbeat and lead to hypotension.

Purines

A class of alkaloids including caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline, known for their stimulant and therapeutic effects.

Caffeine

A central nervous system stimulant that uniquely reacts with Murexide reagent; commonly found in coffee and tea.

Theobromine

A purine alkaloid with diuretic effects useful in pulmonary edema and mild CNS stimulant properties.

Theophylline

A purine compound used in the treatment of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Mechanism of Action (MOA) of Purines

Inhibition of phosphodiesterase (PDE), resulting in increased cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels and norepinephrine (NE) release.

Cola nuts (Cola nitida)

A natural source of caffeine used traditionally as a stimulant.

Coffee beans (Coffea arabica)

A primary source of caffeine; its aroma is attributed to a compound called caffeol.

Theobroma cacao

A plant source of theobromine and caffeine, used in chocolate products.

Camellia sinensis

The tea plant, which contains caffeine and other purine alkaloids.