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Plant Source Foods
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Alkaloids are organic compounds containing at least one nitrogen atom in a heterocyclic ring and mainly derived from amino acids. In other words, they are named all nitrogen-containing compounds (33–35). Some well-known alkaloids are: caffeine in coffee, tea, kola, and cocoa; nicotine in tobacco leaves; cocaine in coca leaves; morphine, codeine in opium poppy; quinine in the bark of cinchona tree; and atropine in belladonna leaves. Most alkaloids are very toxic and, therefore, have potential functions in the chemical defense against herbivores and microorganisms (33–34). Some of them are used in therapeutics; for example, quinine against malaria, morphine as analgesic, codeine as cough medicine, caffeine as stimulant, atropine as antispasmodic and mydriatic (pupil dilatator) (37). Nicotine, cocaine, and morphine are psychotropic drugs and can cause addiction. Nicotine is used as a green insecticide because it does not harm the environment (34).
Third Stage Of Labor
Published in Vincenzo Berghella, Obstetric Evidence Based Guidelines, 2022
Alyssa R. Hersh, Jorge E. Tolosa
Syntometrine is a combination drug containing oxytocin 5 IU and ergometrine 0.5 mg and is administered intramuscularly. As with ergot alkaloids alone, side effects are significant, including nausea, vomiting, and hypertension [7, 15].
Chemopreventive Agents
Published in David E. Thurston, Ilona Pysz, Chemistry and Pharmacology of Anticancer Drugs, 2021
Alkaloids are one of the most important families of compounds produced by plants, and include well-known therapeutic agents such as morphine, colchicine, vinblastine, vincristine, quinine, codeine, atropine, and cocaine, which are all still used in allopathic medicine. Also produced by bacteria, fungi, and some animals, alkaloids have highly diverse structures, and so defining clear categories based on chemical structures is complex. Alkaloids have served, and continue to serve, as a rich source of inspiration for drug discovery (e.g., the important antidiarrhea drug loperamide from morphine). They usually contain nitrogen in addition to carbon and oxygen (often in ring systems), and are typically rich in stereochemistry which may explain why, as a chemical class, they excel at interacting with biological receptors and eliciting a pharmacological response. Through the years, the function of alkaloids in plants has been debated at length, although there is still no definitive answer to this question. Various suggestions include a nitrogen store for metabolic purposes and as chemical attack and/or defense “weapons”, although the latter is more likely.
Effect of Andrographis paniculata and Phyllanthus amarus leaf extracts on selected biochemical indices in Drosophila melanogaster model of neurotoxicity
Published in Drug and Chemical Toxicology, 2022
Bukola Christiana Adedayo, Opeyemi Babatunde Ogunsuyi, Stephanie Tolulope Akinniyi, Ganiyu Oboh
Alkaloids are compounds that naturally contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen and they are usually found in plants, especially flowering plants (Girdhar et al. 2015). Many synthetic and semisynthetic drugs, especially for the management of neurodegenerative diseases are alkaloid derivatives (Choudhury et al. 2014, Aniszewski 2015). It is noteworthy that several drugs used for the management of AD, such as the anticholinesterase class (donepezil, tacrine and galantamine) are alkaloid derivatives. However, the limitations and side effects of these drugs have necessitated search for natural complements/alternatives. Plant rich in alkaloid phytochemicals have been shown to exhibit anticholinesterase properties in vitro and in vivo, and such properties have been linked to their constituent alkaloids (Pereira et al.2010, Zhan et al. 2017, Nwanna et al. 2019).
Nutraceuticals-based therapeutic approach: recent advances to combat pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease
Published in Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 2021
Marjan Talebi, Eleni Kakouri, Mohsen Talebi, Petros A. Tarantilis, Tahereh Farkhondeh, Selen İlgün, Ali Mohammad Pourbagher-Shahri, Saeed Samarghandian
Another class of naturally derived compounds that play a critical role in the AD treatment is alkaloids [166]. Alkaloids are secondary metabolites that contain a nitrogen atom usually presented in a ring system. Alkaloids act through different mechanisms of action. For example, galantamine, a tertiary alkaloid, and an allosteric regulator of nAchR receptor ameliorates nicotinic transmission. Thus, it promotes the release of Ach, dopamine, and glutamate. Due to its antioxidant activity, hinders Aβ accumulation and plays a vital role in neurogenesis as it stimulates M1 muscarinic and a7 nicotinic receptors [167,168]. A similar mechanism of action is attributed to Huperzine A. Interestingly, Wang et al. (2006) showed that huperzine A isolated from Huperzia serrata antagonizes the activity of tacrine and donepezil regarding bioavailability tests and long-term AchE inhibitory effect [169,170]. Huperzine A displayed antioxidant possessions and alleviated BACE1 and APP695 proteins. It is feasible to attenuate Aβ accumulation and τau protein hyperphosphorylation in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex in AD transgenic mice [171]. Also, in rat cortical neurons, Huperzine A reduced ROS production and inhibited caspase-3 [172], promoted proliferation via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation, and stimulated production of new cells in adult mice [173].
A review of toxic effects of electronic cigarettes/vaping in adolescents and young adults
Published in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2020
Daniel L. Overbeek, Alexandra P. Kass, Laura E. Chiel, Edward W. Boyer, Alicia M. H. Casey
The most common psychoactive ingredient in e-liquids is nicotine. Nicotine is a naturally occurring alkaloid that is highly addictive and has been consumed by humans for hundreds of years. The nicotine in vaping liquid can come in one of two chemical formulations. Nicotine freebase is the unprotonated form, often called “pure nicotine,” and can be easily vaporized by heat for absorption through the lungs. However, high concentrations of nicotine freebase are unpleasant to consume, leading to the development of an alternative formulation, nicotine salt. This nicotine is in its protonated state, complexed with an acid, primarily benzoic acid. This crystal is then dissolved in the vaping fluid. This benzoic acid salt allows e-liquid formulation to contain far higher nicotine concentrations, up to 50 mg/mL, with concomitant increases in the nicotine dose received by the user resulting in increasing addictive potential (Goldenson et al. 2017). Alternatively, e-liquids can contain THC, with a wide variety of THC concentrations and formulations.