This document provides information on the alkaloidal plants Ephedra and Colchicum. It describes their biological sources, geographical sources, cultivation methods, macroscopic and microscopic features, main chemical constituents including Ephedrine in Ephedra and Colchicine in Colchicum, chemical tests to identify the constituents, and traditional uses including as a bronchodilator and to treat gout respectively.

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ALKALOIDAL AMINES
Ms. M.S.Divya Sree,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Pharmacognosy.

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Ephedra
Synonym: Ma-Huang
Biological Source: It consists of the dried young stems
of Ephedra gerardiana & Ephedra nebrodensis
belonging to family Gnetaceae.
Geographical source: China, Pakistan, north-west parts
of India, Australia, Kenya, Spain & Yugoslavia.

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Cultivation, Collection &
Preparation
 Propagation - Seeds or layers or divisions of the root stock.
 The plants are collected after attaining the age of 4 yrs for
the extraction of alkaloid. During this period, proper
irrigation & weeding are necessary.
 The alkaloidal content of the drug varies from season to
season.
 It is found to be maximum in autumn, when plants & twigs
are dark in colour.
 Twigs are dried in sun or artificially.

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Macroscopy
 Colour – grey to greenish
 Odour – characteristic
 Taste - bitter
 Thin stems - woody, cylindrical.
 It shows internodes at a distance of about 3 - 3.5 cm.
 It bears scaly leaves.

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Microscopy
 Unicellular epidermis made up of quandrangular cells with
thick walled cuticle.
 Sunken stomata & papillae on the ridges.
 Cortex
 Non lignified fibres.
 Lignified pericyclic fibres.
 Calcium oxalate crystals
 Parenchymatous dark brown coloured pith.

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Chemical Constituents
 Contains amino alkaloids - Ephedrine, nor-
ephedrine, n-methyl ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, etc.
 Ephedrine (C10H15NO) is 1-phenyl-1-hydroxy-2-
methyl aminopropane, soluble in water, alcohol,
organic solvents and oils.

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Chemical test
o Ephedrine + water + HCl + CuSO4 and NaOH, the
solution gives violet color and when shaken with
solvent ether the organic layer shows purple and
aqueous layer shows blue color.

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Uses
Sympathomimetic effects.
Bronchodilator in Asthma, colds, flu and Hay fever
medications
Allopathic: Sinumed (dries a runny nose)
Used as an anti-inflammatory.

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Weight loss
(increases metabolism, decreases appetite – CNS
stimulant – acts on adrenergic receptors)
Also used to correct low B.P. conditions.

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COLCHICUM
Synonyms: Meadow saffron seeds, Autumn crocus.
Biological source: Dried ripe seeds of Colchicum
luteum Baker and Colchicum autumnale Linn.
Family: Liliaceae.
 Colchicum corm is also used medicinally.

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Geographical Source
• Various parts of Europe like
– England
– Holland
– Czechoslovakia
– Poland
– Yugoslavia
• Also cultivated in India.

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Cultivation and collection
 Seed propagation
 Altitude 1000 – 3000m
 Seedlings – transplanted to open field at a distance of
1 m.
 Plants bear capsular fruits after 1 year.

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 Fruits – collected before dehiscence.
 Dark seeds are separated, processed and graded.
 Corms – isolated, adhering scales and coats are
removed.
 Corms – sliced transversely and dried below 65°C

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Macroscopy
Colchicum seeds
o Reddish brown testa
o Acrid taste
o No odor
o Very hard seeds
o 2 – 3 mm diameter
o Ovate in shape
Colchicum corms
o Yellowish brown
o Bitter and acrid taste
o No odor
o Slices 2 – 5 mm thickness
o Sub-reniform or ovate in outline
o Short fracture
o Cut surface – white and starchy,
showing grayish points

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Microscopy
Colchicum seeds
 Parenchyma
 Endosperm
 Aleurone grains
 Fixed oil
Colchicum corms
 Epidermis
 Parenchyma
 Vascular tissues
 Starch grains

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Chemical Constituents
 Chemical Constituents: 0.2 - 1% of amino alkaloids.
 Colchicine is the main constituent.
 Seeds contain upto 0.8% of colchicine and in corms
upto 0.6%, also contains demecolcine.
 Both contain tropolane or cycloheptatrienol-one ring
structure.

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Colchicine
 Amorphous, yellow - white alkaloid (darkens on
exposure to light).
 Gives a strong yellow coloration with strong mineral
acids.
 Dissolves readily in water, alcohol and chloroform,
but only slightly in ether or petroleum spirit.

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Chemical test
o Sample + 70% sulphuric acid = yellow color.
o Alcoholic solution of sample + FeCl3 gives
red color.

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Uses
Antitumor activity.
Relieve gout (used with caution – professional
supervision) and rheumatism.
Also used in biological experiments to produce
polyploidy (multiplication of the chromosomes in a
cell nucleus), hence used in horticulture and
cultivation of medicinal plants.