Alkaloids

Alkaloids
  

Distribution Properties Role in plants

Defense compounds Animal poisoning
    

Lupine Groundsel Larkspur Jimson weed (Scopolamine) Henban (Atropine)

Other roles in plants

Lupines
Texas bluebonnet

Effects of alkaloids on humans

 

High biological activity Produce varying degrees of physiological and psychological responses - largely by interfering with neurotransmitters
others interfere with membrane transport, protein synthesis or other processes

 

In large doses - highly toxic - fatal In small doses, many have therapeutic value
muscle relaxants, tranquilizers, pain killers, mind altering drugs, chemotherapy

Psychoactive alkaloids


Although only a small percent are psychoactive, these get much focus Affect the central nervous system - often by influencing neurotransmitters Categories of psychoactive cmpds
Stimulants Hallucinogens Depressants

May also be narcotic (addictive)

Psychoactive alkaloids
Stimulants Hallucinogens
Cocaine Ephedrine Caffeine Tropane alkaloids Mescaline Psilocybin Ergot alkaloids (LSD)

Depressants
Morphine Codeine Heroin

Alkaloid synthesis


  

Most alkaloids are synthesized from a few common amino acids (tyrosine, tryptophan, ornithine or argenine, aspartic acid, & lysine) Nicotinic acid precursor for part of nicotine Purine precursor for caffeine Some alkaloids synthesized from terpenes - along mevalonic acid pathway Generally classified by the predominant ring structure and/or carbon skeleton

Tropane alkaloids

Many f t

syc

activ alkal i s

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids

Piperidine alkaloids

Piperidine/Pyridine alkaloids

Purine alkaloids

Figure 3-5 Caffeine

Quinoline alkaloids

Isoquinoline alkaloids

Indole alkaloids

Vindoline Vinblastine (Catharanthus)

Quinolizidine alkaloids

Steroidal alkaloids

Steroidal alkaloids

Diterpenoid alkaloids

Amine alkaloids

Alkal i s wit

t r cyclic nitr

n at

Other classes of alkaloids

 

Betalain alkaloids - pigment alkaloids Lycopodium alkaloids - restricted to club mosses Peptide alkaloids