Page 60 - phytochemistry II -pharmD general

Minor alkaloids and related atropine analogues
1. Apo-atropine
It occurs in Belladonna roots, it is optically inactive (as apotropic acid

has no asymmetric carbon).
It is freely soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzene. It is used as

antispasmodic
2. Belladonnine
Belladonnine occurs, as minor alkaloid, in Atropa belladonna. It is a dimer

of apo-atropine. It can be prepared by dimerizing apo-atropine by heating at 110
oC for 48 hours. It gives positive Vitali’s test. It is soluble in alcohol, benzene,
chloroform, ethyl acetate.

3. Homatropine (Mandelyl tropine)
It is a synthetic alkaloid. It is prepared by passing hydrogen chloride

gas for 3-4 hours through a mixture of 7 parts of tropine, 10 parts of mandelic acid
and 2 parts of water. Homatropine is freely soluble in ether and chloroform.
Homatropine gives +ve reaction with Gerrard’s test giving red colour while with
Vitali’s test it gives yellow colour (instead of violet)

Homatropine resembles atropine and hyoscyamine in its general
physiological effects, but is much less toxic, and in small doses it exerts a hypnotic
effect. It has mydriatic effect like atropine but its action is more rapid, weaker, and
less prolonged than atropine.

4. Ipratropium (Isopropyl atopine)
It is a tropane alkaloid with quaternary nitrogen. It is used for treating
bronchial asthma and COPD.

Ipratropium
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