Page 84 - phytochemistry general program
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as rodenticide. Strychnine has been, and is still being misused as a general tonic
Strychnine is a potent stimulant of the CNS, and and in aphrodisiac preparations.
in toxic doses it causes contractions of many muscles, leading to tonic or spinal
.convulsions
Brucine is less toxic than strychnine. It is sometimes used as CNS stimulant.
Commercially it is used as alcohol and oil denaturant
Hemitoxiferine
A degradation product of strychnine is hemitoxiferine which can be easily
converted to its dimmer (toxiferine); the valuable skeletal muscle relaxant alkaloid,
the latter being the main active principle of Calabash curare.
+
N CH3
-
Cl
N
HH O
Hemitoxiferine
Physostigma alkaloids
Physostigma venenosum (Leguminosae) contains some indole The seeds of
alkaloids, the main one being physostigmine, which is also known as eserine.
Eserine is present in the cotyledons of the seed to the extent of 0.04-0.3%, the
average content being 0.15%.
Physostigmine is very unstable in solutions, especially in alkaline solutions.
It is hydrolyzed in alkaline solutions into the phenolic compound eseroline and
methylamine and CO2.
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