C&C Pharmacognosy By Dr.

Shahid Rasool Alkaloids

ALKALOIDS
Definition
The term “Alkaloid” is derived from two Greek words; “ALK” means alkali and “OIDS” means
like. These are alkali like compounds.
Alkaloids are nitrogenous basic compounds usually of plant origin having definite
pharmacological activities.

PROPERTIES OF ALKALOIDS
 They usually possess carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen.
 They are crystalline solid (white in color) but some are liquid which don’t have O2 e.g.
Nicotine (brown in color).
 They are insoluble in water.
 They are soluble in polar or slightly polar organic solvents. They are also soluble in
concentrated HCl solution and form water soluble salts that are insoluble in organic
solvents.
 Generally they are colorless but few are colored e.g. Sanguinarine is red in color.
 Most of them rotate the plane of polarized light so they have high refractive index and
also high melting points.
 Basic character of alkaloids also allows them to form salts with mineral acids (such as
hydrochlorides, nitrates and sulphates) or inorganic acids (tartrates, sulfanates).

OCCURRENCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ALKALOIDS

These are present in plants, animals, bacteria and fungi.
They occur in bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and rarely in fungi (pscilocin from
hallucinogenic mushrooms).
In plants, they are mostly present in families like leguminoseae, papaveraseae, solanaceae and
ranunculaceae. All alkaloids of one plant will have a common biogenenetic origin. Alkaloids
occur in all plant parts, but are usually localized in one organ (e.g. the bark or seeds). Within the
plant, alkaloids can vary widely from part to part as some parts may contain no alkaloid.

NAMING OF ALKALOIDS
As per chemical rule, name of all alkaloids should have suffix “ine” like Colchicine, Atropine
Numerous methods can be used to name alkaloids
Generic plant name – atropine from Atropa belladonna
Specific name of the plant – cocaine from Erythroxylum coca.
Common name of the herb – ergotamine from ergot (rye)
Physiological action of the plant – emetine producing emesis
Other – e.g. morphine derived from ancient Greek mythology – Morpheus – god of dreams

FUNCTIONS OF ALKALOIDS
Functions of alkaloids in plants
 They control metabolism in plants.
 They have defensive mechanism against pathogenic substances.
 They protect plants from insects and herbivores.

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C&C Pharmacognosy By Dr. Shahid Rasool Alkaloids

 They have storage property of nitrogen.

 They regulate growth factors in plants.
 They occur as pigments i.e. Peteridine and attract animals for pollination.
Pharmacological functions of alkaloids
 Analgesic (Aconitine, Morphine)
 Anti-tussive (Codeine)
 Emetic (Emetine)
 Anti-malarial (Quinine)
 Anti-tumor (Vincristine, Vinblastine)
 Anti-gout (Colchicine)
 As oxytocic (Ergotamine)
 Antimigraine (Ergotamine)
 for ophthalmic use (Pilocarpine)
 Anti-spasmodic (Atropine, Hyoscyamine)
 Muscle relaxant (Tubocurarine)
 CNS stimulant (Nicotine, Caffeine, Strychnine)

CHEMICAL TESTS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF ALKALOIDS

There are two types of tests for the identification of alkaloids.
Group Tests
These tests generally indicate the presence of alkaloids in the plant extracts.
Wagner’s reagent
It is a solution of iodine and potassium iodide. It gives reddish brown precipitates.
Mayer’s reagent
It is a solution of potassium mercuric iodide. And it gives cream color precipitates.
Hager’s reagent
It is a saturated solution of picric acid. It gives yellow color precipitates.
Dragendroff’s reagent
It is a saturated solution of Potassium bismith iodide. It gives reddish brown precipitates.
Individual / Distinguishing / Confirmatory tests
Libermann’s Test
10% Potassium permanganate treated with plants containing alkaloids.
Orange color is exhibited by atropine, hyoscine and hyoscyamine.
Black color is given by papverine and emetine.
Red color is given by cocaine and physostigmine.
Yellow color is given by colchicine.

TYPES OF ALKALOIDS
There are three types of alkaloids on the basis of their origin from amino acids.
1. True alkaloids
2. Pseudo alkaloids
3. Proto alkaloids

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C&C Pharmacognosy By Dr. Shahid Rasool Alkaloids

True alkaloids
These are basic nitrogenous compounds of plant origin. Nitrogen is present inside the ring and
they are derived from amino acids e.g. Nicotine.
Pseudo alkaloids
In this type of alkaloids, nitrogen may or may not be present inside the ring and they are not
derived from amino acids e.g. Aconitine and Caffeine.
Proto alkaloids
They are also called alkaloidal amines. In these alkaloids, nitrogen is present outside the ring and
they are derived from amino acids e.g. Colchicine and Ephedrine.

Tryptophan Phenylalanine Tyrosine

Ephedrine Tropane
Indole Alkaloids Quinoline Isoquinoline
Alkaloids
(Ergotamine, Alkaloids Alkaloids
(Atropine,
Reserpine, Vinca (Quinine, (Morphine,
Hyoscine,
Alkaloids) Cinchonine Codeine)
Cocaine)
)
Figure: Biosynthetic pathways of various alkaloids from amino acids
(Atropine,
Hyoscyami
CLASSIFICATION OF ALKALOIDS ne)
Alkaloids are classified on the basis of presence of basic ring in their structure.
Pyridine-piperidine alkaloids (Pyrrolizidine)
e.g. Nicotine (Tobacco) Lobeline (Lobelia), Arecoline (Areca)

Tropane alkaloids
They are also called solanaceous alkaloids e.g.
Atropine (Belladona), Hyoscyamine (Hyoscyamus), Hyoscine (Datura),
Cocaine (Coca)

Quinoline alkaloids
e.g. Quinine, Quinidine, Cinchonine, Cinchonidine (Cinchona)

Iso-quinoline alkaloids
e.g. Emetine, Cephaline (Ipecac), Berberine (Berberis), Hydrastine
(Hydrastis), and opium alkaloids (Phenanthrene alkaloids)
Morphine, Codeine, Papaverine

Indole alkaloids (Benz pyroll)

e.g. Reserpine, Serpentine, Ajmaline (Rauwolfia), Strychnine, Brucine
(Nuxvomica), Vincristine, Vinblastine (Catharanthus), Ergotamine,
Ergometrine (Ergot) , Physostigmine (Physostigma)

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C&C Pharmacognosy By Dr. Shahid Rasool Alkaloids

Imidazole alkaloids
e.g. Pilocarpine, Isopilocarpine (Pilocarpus)

Steroidal alkaloids
e.g. Veratridine, Veretrosine (Veratrum)

Alkaloidal amines
e.g. Colchicine (Colchicum), Ephedrine (Ephedra)

Purine alkaloids
e.g. Caffeine (Coffee), Theophylline, Theobromine (Tea)