This document summarizes information about several alkaloids - vinca, rauwolfia, belladonna, and opium. It describes the biological source, morphological characteristics, chemical constituents, uses, and commercial applications for each one. Key information includes that vinca contains vinblastine and vincristine which have anticancer activity. Rauwolfia contains the main alkaloid reserpine which is used as an antihypertensive and tranquilizer. Belladonna contains hyoscyamine and is used for its anticholinergic properties. Opium contains morphine and codeine and is used as an analgesic but is addictive.

1. PHARMACOGNOSY II
ALKALOIDS- VINCA , RAUWOLFIA , BELLADONNA , OPIUM
Biological source , Chemical Constituent , Use
Presented by Suchandan Biswas

2. VINCA(CATHARANTHUS)
BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: Vinca is the dried whole plant of CATHARANTHUS ROSEUS belonging to the family APOCYNACEAE
MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS: The leaves are green in colour, flowers are either violet, pinkish white or carmine red and roots are pale grey
in colour.
It has characteristic odour and bitter taste. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by bees.
Leaves are petiolate, entire margin, ovate or oblong, glossy appearance and with acute apex. Fruit is follicles with numerous black seeds.
MICROSCOPICAL CHARACTERS: Vinca has dorsiventral leaf structure. Epidermis is a single layer of rectangular cells covered with thick cuticle. It
consists of uni-cellular covering trichome and cruciferous stomata. In the mesophyll region single layer of elongated and closely packed
palisade parenchyma cells are present just below the upper epidermis. In the midrib region two to three layers of collenchyma is present, both
below the upper epidermis and above the lower epidermis. Vascular bundle consisting of xylem and phloem is present in the middle of midrib
region and rest of the intercellular space is covered by 5 to 8 layers of spongy parenchyma.

3. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT: Alkaloids are present in entire shrub but leaves and roots contain more alkaloids. About 90 alkaloids have been
isolated from Vinca from which some like Ajmalicine, Serpentine and Tetrahydroalstonine are known and are present in other species of
Apocynaceae. The important alkaloids in Catharanthus are the dimer indole indoline alkaloids Vinblastine and Vincristine and they possess
definite anticancer activity. Vindoline and Catharanthine are indole monomeric alkaloids. It also contains monoterpenes, sesquiterpene, indole
and indoline glycoside.
USE: Vinblastine is an antitumor alkaloid used in the treatment of Hodgkin’s disease. Vincristine is a cytotoxic compound and used to treat
leukemia in children. Vinca is used in herbal practice for its astringent and tonic properties in menorrhagia and in hemorrhages generally. In
cases of scurvy and for relaxed sore throat and inflamed tonsils, it may also be used as a gargle. For bleeding piles, it may be applied externally,
as well as taken internally. It is also used in the treatment of diabetes. The flowers of the Periwinkle are gently purgative, but lose their effect
on drying. If gathered in the spring and made into a syrup, they impart all their virtues, and this, itis stated, is excellent as a gentle laxative for
children and also for overcoming chronic constipation in grown persons.

4. RAUWOLFIA
BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: Rauwolfia consists of dried roots of Rauwolfia serpentina Benth., belonging to family Apocynaceae.
The name Rauwolfia serpentina has been taken from the name of scientist Dr. Rauwolf and serpentina means snake like structured root.
MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS: Colour : Greyish yellow to brown (root bark) and pale yellow (wood).
Odour : Odorless
Taste : Bitter
Size : 10-80cm in length and 1-3cm in diameter.
Shape : Roots are sub-cylindrical, slightly tapered, tortuous.
Fracture : Short and irregular.
CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT: Rauwolfia contains at least 30 indole alkaloids. The total alkaloidal range is in 0.7-3
percent (depends upon the source). Alkaloids are concentrated mostly in the base of the
root and can be classified into:
1. Indole alkaloid
2. Indoline alkaloid
3. Indolenine alkaloid
4. Oxyindole alkaloid
5. Pseudo indoxyl alkaloid
Reserpine is the main alkaloid in Rauwolfia. It also contains oleo resin, phytosterol, fatty
acids, alcohols and sugars. The other alkaloids are Ajmaline, Ajmalicine, Rauwolfinine,
Rescinnamine, reserpinine, yohimbine, serpentine, serpentinine. Reserpine alkaloid is
colorimetrically determined by the reaction in between acidic solution of alkaloid and
sodium nitrite.

5. TRANSVERSE SECTION(T.S) OF RAUWOLFIA

6. USES: Rauwolfia in used as hypnotic, sedative and antihypertensive. It is specific for insanity, reduces blood pressure and cures pain due to
affections of the bowels. It is given in labours to increase uterine contractions and in certain neuropsychiatric disorders. Ajmaline, which has
pharmacological properties similar to those of quinidine, is marketed in Japan for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias Reserpine is a white or
pale buff to slightly yellow, odourless, crystalline powder that darkens slowly when exposed to light and rapidly when in solution. Reserpine is
an antihypertensive and tranquilizer. Rescinnamine is the methyl reserpate ester of 3,4,5-trimethoxy cinnamic acid. The usual antihypertensive
dose of rescinnamine is 500 μg, two times a day. Higher doses may cause serious mental depression. Deserpidine is 11-des-methoxyreserpine.
It is a wide-range tranquilizer and antihypertensive and is free from the side effects.
COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: It is one of the ingredients of the preparations known as Confido, Lukol, Serpina (Himalaya Drug Company) and
Sarpagandhan bati (Baidyanath).

7. BELLADONNA
BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: Belladonna consists of dried leaves and flowering tops of Atropa belladonna Linn. (European Belladonna), belonging to
family Solanaceae. It contains about 0.35% of total alkaloids calculated as hyoscyamine.
MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS: The drug consists of leaf and the other smaller stems, the latter seldom exceeding 5mm diameter, together
with flowers and fruits.
Colour: Leaf- Greenish or brownish green
Flowers- Purplish to Yellowish brown
Fruits- Greenish to brownish in colour
Odour : Slight and characteristics
Taste : Bitter and acrid
Size : Leaves are 5 − 25 cm × 2.5 − 12 cm
Flower corolla 2.5 cm long and 1.5 cm wide Fruits about 10 cm in diameter
Shape : Leaves: Ovate, lanceolate to broadly ovate, brittle
Flowers: Campanulate, 5 small reflexed lobes of corolla
Fruits: Berries, sub-globular in shape with numerous flat seeds.

8. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT: The drug from Atropa belladona contains 0.3-0.6 percent alkaloids. The chief alkaloid is Hyoscyamine, small
quantities of volatile bases such as pyridine and N-methyl pyrroline are present and if not removed during the assay of drug by heating,
increases the titration and appear in the result as hyoscyamine. The leaf also contain a fluorescent substance, β-methyl esculitine and calcium
oxalate. They yield about 14 percent of ash and not more than 4 percent acid insoluble ash. Root contain 0.6 percent,stem 0.05 percent, leaves
0.4 percent, unripe and ripe berries 0.19-0.2 percent and seeds 0.33 percent alkaloids. The main alkaloids are l-hyoscyamine and its racemic
form atropine. The drug also contains belladonin, hyoscine etc.
USE: The drug is used as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of peptic ulcer; functional digestive disorders, including spastic, mucous and
ulcerative colitis; diarrhea, diverticulitis and pancreatitis. Due to anticholinergic property, it is used to control excess motor activity of the
gastrointestinal tract and spasm of the urinary tract. Belladonna is anticholinergic, narcotic, sedative, diuretic mydriatic and used as anodyne
and to check secretion. Other uses are similar to Hyoscyamus. It relieves spasm of gut or respiratory tract. Consumption of Belladonna checks
excessive perspiration of patients suffering from tuberculosis. Belladonna acts as a parasympathetic depressant.
COMMERCIAL APPLICTION: It is one of the ingredients of the preparation known as Belladona plaster (Surgi Pharma) for backache, stiffness of
muscles and boil, swollen joints.

9. OPIUM
BIOLOGICAL SOURCE: The latex is collected from unripe capsules upon incision of Papaver somniferum Linn. The latex is dried fully or partly by
heat or spontaneous evaporation. The irregular shaped masses or moulds of uniform sizes and shapes are found. It contains not less than 9.5
percent of morphine calculated as anhydrous morphine. Family: Papaveraceae.
MACROSCOPICAL CHARACTERS: Odour : Strong, characteristics
Taste : Bitter taste
Table 2.1: Commercial varieties of opium and their appearances
Sr. No. Commercial variety Appearance
1. Indian opium Colour: Dark brown
Form: Cubical pieces
Fracture: Brittle
2. Persian opium Colour: Dark brown
Form: Brick shaped masses
Nature: Hygroscopic, granular, smooth
3 Turkish opium Colour: Brown or Dark brown
Form: Conical, rounded or flattened masses
4. Chinese opium Colour: Dark brown
Form: Globular cake

10. CHEMICAL CONSTITUENT: Opium contains more than 30 alkaloids which are largely combined with the organic acid meconic acid. The drug
also contains sugar salts, albuminous substances, colouring matter and water. Six principle alkaloids are Morphine, Codeine, Thebaine,
Noscapine (also known as narcotine), Narceine, Papaverine. The first group consist phenanthrene nucleus (morphine groups) whereas these of
papaverine group have benzyl isoquinolene structure. Morphine molecule have both phenolic and alcoholic hydroxyl group and when
acetylated forms diacetyl morphine or heroin. Codeine is an ether form of morphine (methylmorphine). Meconic acid is dibasic and easily
detected either in Free State as meconate by the formation of a deep red colour on addition of ferric chloride. Less important opium alkaloids
(protopine and hydrocotarine) are different structural type.
USE: It is used as hypnotic, sedative and analgesic but have addiction property so given in severe pain or if patient does not show response to
other analgesics. It stimulates the chemoreceptor zone in medulla which leads to nausea and vomiting. Codeine (mild analgesic which is potent
to aspirin) relieves local irritation in the bronchial tract and as an antitussive. Papaverine has smooth muscle relaxant activity. Narcotine (or
Noscapine) used in the cough preparations due to its depressant action on cough reflex. Diacetyl morphine also known as Heroin has more
narcotic analgesic effect than morphine.