Content

S. No. Title/ Heading Page no.

1 Histidine derived Alkaloids: Pilocarpine 3
2 Polyacetate derived Alkaloid: Hemlock 4
A Steroidal Alkaloids 5-8
B Veratrum Alkaloids 5
C Solanum Alkaloids 6
D Holarrhena Alkaloids 7
E Buxus Alkaloids 8
3 Purine Alkaloids 9-13
A Theophylline 10-12
B Caffeine 13
4 Cytotoxic compounds: Vinca Alkaloids 14-15
5 Carcinogenic compounds from Plants 16-17
A Aflatoxins 16
B Bracken 17
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 Histidine Derived Alkaloids

Pilocarpine (Jaborandi Leaf;

Maranham)
Biological Source: The alkaloids are isolated from
leaflets of Pilocarpus microphyllus and Pilocarpus
jaborandi family Rutaceae.

Chemical Constituents: Maranham leaves contain

about 0.7–0.8% of the alkaloids, pilocarpine,
isopilocarpine, pilosine and isopilosine.

Uses: Salts of pilocarpine are used in ophthalmic

practice, as they cause contraction of the pupil of
the eye, their action being antagonistic to that of
atropine. 3
 Polyacetate Derived Alkaloids
Hemlock Alkaloids
Biological Source: These alkaloids are isolated from the
dried unripe fruits of poisonous plant Conium
maculatum family Umbelliferae.

Chemical Constituents: A volatile alkaloid isolated

from the drug is Coniine up to the extent of 1-2.5%
together with N-methyl coniine, conhydrine,
pseudoconhydrine, conhydrinone and γ-coniceine.
Coniine is biosynthesized from four molecules of acetic
acid. Coniine was the first alkaloid to be synthesized
(Ladenburg, 1886).

Uses: It is used for breathing problems including

bronchitis, whooping cough, and asthma; and for painful
conditions including teething in children, swollen and
painful joints. Greeks for preparing a draught by means
of which criminals were put to death (By suffocation).
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 Steroidal Alkaloids
Veratrum Alkaloids
Biological Source: These alkaloids are isolated from
rhizomes of Veratrum viride (American veratrum: Green
Hellebore) and Veratrum album (European veratrum:
White Hellebore) family Liliaceae
Chemical constituents: Two steroidal alkaloidal groups.
Jerveratrum alkaloids (contains 1–3 oxygen atoms):
Pseudojervine, Veratrosine
Ceveratrum alkaloids (contains 7-9 oxygen atoms):
Germine, Protoverine and
Veracevine
Uses: Ceveratrum alkaloids are responsible for
hypotensive activity. American veratrum is used for the
preparation of Veriloid, a mixture of the hypotensive
alkaloids. 5
 Steroidal Alkaloids
Contd…
Solanum Alkaloids
Biological Source: These steroidal alkaloids are
isolated from leaves of Solanum khasianum family
Solanaceae.

Chemical Constituents: The chief alkaloid of the drug

is a glyco-alkaloid, solasodine, a nitrogen analogue of
diosgenine. Other alkaloid is solanin.

Uses: Solasodine is used to synthesize a group of

compounds like testosterone and methyl testosterone
and corticosteroids like predinisolone and
hydrocortisone.
These steroidal compounds have anti-inflammatory,
anabolic and antifertility properties, due to which they
find large-scale use in health and family planning
programmes all over the world.
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 Steroidal Alkaloids
Contd…

Holarrhena Alkaloids
Biological Source: These alkaloids are
isolated from stem bark of Holarrhena
pubescens (H. antidysenterica)
(Apocynaceae).

Chemical Constituents: Kurchi contains

numerous steroidal-type alkaloids (1.8–
4.5%) including conessine, norconessine,
isoconessine and kurchine.

Uses: Used in treatment of amoebic

dysentery

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 Steroidal Alkaloids
Contd…
Buxus Alkaloids
Biological Source: The alkaloids are
isolated from Buxus microphylla and other
Buxus species family Buxaceae.

Chemical Constituents: Cyclobuxine was

the first isolated alakloids from the drug.
Another potent component isolated in china
from the drug is Cyclovirobuxine D (CVB-
D).

Cyclobuxine
Uses: B. microphylla is used for the
treatment of cerebral ischemia, myocardial
failure, and arrhythmias.
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 Purine Alkaloids
• The purine nucleotides, together with the pyrimidine
nucleotides, constitute vital structural units of the nucleic
acids; they also function as coenzymes
• ‘Purine alkaloids’ constitute secondary metabolites and are
derivatives of xanthine; three well-known examples are
caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), theophylline (1,3-
dimethylaxanthine) and theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine).

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 Purine Alkaloids
Contd…

Theophylline/ Cocoa Seed

Biological Source:
Cocoa seeds (Cocoa Beans) are
obtained from Theobroma cacao
(Sterculiaceae).

Common Name: Cocoa butter,

Chocolate tree

Geographical Source: Mostly

produced and refined in Holland.

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Purine Alkaloids
Contd…

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 Purine Alkaloids
Contd…
Chemical Constituents:
Cocoa kernels contain 0.9–3.0% of
theobromine and the husks contain
0.19–2.98% of this alkaloid.
The seeds also contain 0.05–0.36%
caffeine, cocoa fat or butter (45–53%).

Uses:
Cocoa has nutritive, stimulant and
diuretic properties. Theobromine is
used as a diuretic.
It has less action on the central nervous
system than caffeine but is more
diuretic.
12
 Purine Alkaloids
Contd…

Caffeine
Biological Source: Caffeine is isolated from
seeds of Coffea arabica and other species of
Coffee (Rubiaceae) and Camellia sinensis
Syn: Thea sinensis (Theaceae).

Chemical Constituents: 1-2 % Caffeine in

Coffee and 1–5% of caffeine from Tea.

Uses: An infusion of tea contains in addition

to caffeine a mixture of polyphenols including
epigallocatechin-3-gallate possessing strong
antioxidant and free-radical scavenging
properties. Coffee shows CNS stimulant and
diuretic activity.
13
 Cytotoxic Compounds from Plants
Catharanthus roseus
Biological Source: The drug is obtained
from entire herb of Catharanthus roseus
Syn: Vinca rosea family Apocynaceae.

Chemical Constituents: About 150

alkaloids have now been isolated from the
plant. 20 bisindole alkaloids which contains
those having antineoplastic activity,
including leurocristine (vincristine) and
vincaleukoblastine (vinblastine).

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 Cytotoxic Compounds from Plants
Uses:
Vinblastine is used mainly for the
treatment of generalized Hodgkin’s
disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas.
Vincristine is used principally in the
treatment of acute lymphocytic
leukaemia in children.

15
 Carcinogenic Compounds from Plants
Aflatoxins
Biological Source: The mycotoxins produced by
various Aspergillus spp. (e.g. A. flavus, A.
parasiticus) family Tricocomaceae are termed
aflatoxins.
The above moulds are particularly likely to occur in
oil-seed meals and in cereals; they have been
circumstantially implicated in the deaths of children
in a number of countries.

Chemical Constituents: Aflatoxin B1, Aflatoxin G1

Uses: Aflatoxins to be potentially harmful in a

number of respects—as potent toxins, as
carcinogens, as teratogens and as mutagens.

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 Carcinogenic Compounds from Plants

Bracken
Biological Source: The carcinogenic
compound is obtained from shoots and
rhizome of Pteridium aquilinum (common
bracken or eagle fern) family
Dennstaedtiaceae.

Chemical Constituents: The plant contains

the carcinogenic compound Ptaquiloside.

Carcinogenic Property: High stomach

cancer rates are found in Japan and North
Wales, where the young stems are used as a
vegetable.
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