This document provides an overview of alkaloids, including: - Alkaloids are nitrogenous plant compounds that are physiologically active, with over 10,000 identified from 300+ plant families. - They are found in various plant parts and some animals, and were some of the first plant-derived compounds isolated. - Alkaloids serve defensive functions for plants and have various pharmacological effects when consumed by humans, such as analgesic, anti-spasmodic, and anti-microbial properties. - Common alkaloid-containing plants and their medicinal uses are described.

1. ALKALOIDS
#AN OVERVIEW
Dr. S. Nayak
Principal & Professor
Bansal College of Pharmacy, Bhopal
www.bansalpharmacy.com
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2. Alkaloids
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OBJECTIVES
To know --
 What are alkaloids
 Sources of alkaloids
 Importance of alkaloids
 Test to detect the presence of alkaloids
 Classification of alkaloids
 Plants containing alkaloids and their therapeutic
uses

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Alkaloids
 Alkaloids are metabolic by-products, commonly
applied to basic nitrogenous compounds of plant
origin that are physiologically active.
 They are organic nitrogenous compounds with a
limited distribution in native nature.
 More than 10000 alkaloids are found from over 300
families of plant.
 Usually they are derivatives from amino acids

4. Occurrence of Alkaloids
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 Alkaloids occurs in plant kingdom
The Leguminosae , Papaveraceae , Ranunculaceae ,
Rubiaceae , Solanaceae , and Berberidaceae .

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 Occurs in fungi (Ergot, Claviceps purpurea )
 Occurs in various parts of the plant;
 Seeds ( Physostigma , Areca),
 Leaves (Vasaca, Dhatura )
 Underground stems ( Sanguinaria ),
 Roots (Belladonna root),
 Rhizomes and Roots (Ipecac, Hydrastis ),
 Barks (Cinchona).

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 Occures in animals
 Beaver (Castor Canadensis)
 Poison dart frogs (Phyllobates)

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 Narcotine (1803)
 Opium and Morphine (1806-1816)
 Strychine (1817)
 Brucine, Nicotine, Cfffine (1819)
 Colchicine, Quinine (1820)
 Conine (1826)
Initially reported some alkaloids

8. Uses of Alkaloids in Plants
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 Poisonous agents protect plants against insects
and herbivores end products of detoxification
reactions representing a metabolic locking-up of
compounds otherwise harmful to the plants.

9. Characters of alkaloids
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 Mostly colorless, crystalline solid.
 Bitter taste
 Have definite melting point
 Few bases are soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in
water.
 Alkaloidal salts are soluble in water.

10. Extraction of alkaloids
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Method A :-
 Powdered material moistened with alkaline subs
( sodium bicarbonate, ammonia, calcium
hydroxide)
 Extract with organic solvent
 Concentrate the organic extract
 Shake with aqueous acid
 Allow to separate
 Alkaloid salt present in aqueous phase
 Purification

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Method B :-
 Powdered material extract with water or aqueous
alcohol containing dilute acid
 Add chloroform or other organic solvent
 Few alkaloids are then precipitated by addition of
excess alkaline substance (sodium bicarbonate or
ammonia)
 Separate by filtration or by extraction with organic
solvent
 Purification

12. CLASSIFICATION
True Alkaloids
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 Pyrrole and pyrrolidine :
 Hygrine
 Cocao spp
 Pyridine and Piperidine:
 Anabesine
 Lobeline

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 Pyrrolizidine:
 Echimidine
 Senecionine
 Tropane :
 Atropine
 Hyoscine

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 Quinoline:
 Quinine
 Qunidine
 Isoquinoline :
 Morphine
 Codeine

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 Aporphine :
 Boldine
 Indole:
 Ergometerine
 Vincristine

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 Imidazole:
 Pilocarpine
 Isopilocarpine
 Norlupinane:
 Cystine
 Laburnine

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 Purine:
 Caffine
 Theobromine
 Steroidal :
 Solanidine
 Caessine

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 Diterpine :
 Aconitine
 Aconine
 Alkylamine :
 Ephidrine
 Colchicine

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 proto-Alkaloids
N atom not a part of heterocyclic ring
 Stachydrine

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 Pseuydo-Alkaloids
Not derived from amino acids
 Conine

21. Test for Alkaloids
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 Wagner’s Test -Reddish brown precipitate Reagent
used: Wagner’s Reagent
 [Solution of iodine in potassium iodide]
 Mayer’s Test - Cream color precipitates Reagent
used: Mayer’s Reagent
 [Potassium mercuric iodide solution]

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 Dragendorff’s test - Orange precipitate
Reagent : Dragendorff’s reagent
[Potassium bismuth iodide solution]
 Hager's test - Yellow color precipitate
Reagent : Hager's reagent
[saturated solution of Picric acid ]
 Tannic acid test- buff color precipitate
Reagent
[10% Tannic acid solution ]

23. Pharmacological action of Alkaloids
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 Rheumatism, neuralgia, sciatica (Aconitin)
 Antispasmodic, anti-parkinson, cycloplegic drug
(Atropine)
 Eye irritations, AIDS, hepatitis (Berberine)
 Neonatal apnea, atopic dermatitis ( Caffeine)
 Increases reflexes, epileptiform convulsions (
Cinchonidine)

24. Pharmacological action of Alkaloids
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 Local anaesthetic (Cocaine)
 Antitussive,analgesic (Codeine)
 Amyloidosis treatment, acute
gout(Colchicine)
 Asthma, diuretic agent (Theobromine)
 Asthma, bronchospasms (Theophylline)

25. Pharmacological action of Alkaloids
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 Hodgkin’s disease, testicular cancer,blood disorders
(Vinblastin)
 Burkitts lymphoma (Vincristine)
 Intestinal Amoebiasis, expectorant drug (Emetine)
 Nasal decongestant, bronchodilator ( Ephedrine)
 Postpartum/ postabortal hemorrhage ( Ergometrine)

26. Pharmacological action of Alkaloids
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 Motion sickness (Hyoscine)
 Antispasmodic, anti-parkinson, cycloplegic drug
(Hyoscyamine)
 Pain relief, diarrhoea (Morphine)
 Anti smoking ( Nicotine)
 Vasodilator, gastrointestinal disorder ( Papaverine)

27. Pharmacological action of Alkaloids
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 Malaria, babesiosis, myotonic disorder(Quinine)
 Hypertension, psychoses (Reserpine)
 Analgesic, sedative, hypnotic agent (Rotundine)
 Mamma and ovary carcinoma ( Taxol)

28. Alkaloid containingSOME plants
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thanks…..
Dr. S. Nayak
Principal & Professor
Bansal College of Pharmacy, Bhopal, MP
bansalpharmacy.com