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Phytochem > Alkaloids > Flashcards

Alkaloids Flashcards

1
Q

Importance of alkaloids

A

Protective as poisonous agents prevent attack by insects and animals.
•Detoxification of harmful substances
•Regulatory growth factors
•Reserve substances for supply of nitrogen.
•Participates in plant metabolic processes.
•Alternate source of energy eg. Alkaloid glycosides

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2
Q

Are alkaloids highly distributed in fungi?

A

No

They’re rare eg Ergot alkaloid

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3
Q

What are some extremely toxic alkaloids

A

Ergot alkaloids in the middle ages in Europe
•Coniine from hemlock: execution of Socrates
•Cleopatra and Hyocyamus muticus

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4
Q

Free alkaloids are soluble in?

A

Organic solvents

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5
Q

Alkaloid salts soluble in?

A

Acqueous solvents

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6
Q

What is dragendorff’s reagent and what color change is seen

A

Brown color / orange

Reagent is Potassium bismuth iodide- KBI

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7
Q

What is reagent for Mayer’s test and color change

A

Potassium mercuric iodide
KMI

Buff/Creamy or pale yellow ppt

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8
Q

Wagners reagent and color change

A

Yellow ppt

Potassium Iodide

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9
Q

What does nor in numenclature mean

A

indicates N -demethylation

Eg norepinephrine means epinephrine without CH3 group

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10
Q

What does dine in numenclature mean

A

dine’-denotes a type of isomer
•Quinine and quinidine-epimers
•Cinchonine and cinchonidine

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11
Q

derived from amino acids and have nitrogen in a heterocyclic ring system

A

True alkaloids

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12
Q

not derived from amino acids but have nitrogen in a heterocyclic system.

A

Pseudoalkaloids

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13
Q

derived from amino acids but nitrogen is not in a heterocyclic system. Also atypical alkaloids.

A

Proto-alkaloids:

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14
Q

What is non heterocyclic alkaloids and egs

A

Nitrogen doesn’t form part of heterocyclic ring.

Found in Atypical, Protoalkaloids. Biological Amines

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15
Q

Plant sources of non heterocyclic alkaloids

A

1.Peyote or Mescal Button
cactus Lophophora williamsii
CACTACEAE
Active constituent: Mescaline

  1. Ephedra
  • Ephedra spp. EPHEDRACEAE
  • Contains 0.5 – 2% alkaloids including Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine.
  • Ephedrine – brochodilator for asthma high fever related.
  1. Colchicine
    •Colchicine: From Colchicum autumnale (colchicaceae)
    •For the treatment of gout
    •Taxol (Paclitaxel): from Taxus brevifolia (Taxaceae)
    •Anticancer drug
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16
Q

•Structurally these have the nitrogen as part of a cyclic ring system.
Have 11 groups

A

Heterocyclic

17
Q

Botanical source of quinolines

A

dried bark of Cinchona succirubra (Rubiaceae)

Constituents include Quinine, quinidine, cinchonine, cinchonidine

18
Q

What are apophine alkaloids

A

Reduced isoquinolines/ naphthalene

Eg. BOLDINE

19
Q

examples of isoquinolines

A

Morphine
Narcotine
Codeine

20
Q

Examples of quinolizidine

A

Cytisine

Sparteine

21
Q

Examples of indole alkaloids

A 
Ergometrine
Vinblastine
Vincristine
Erhotamine
Serpentine
22
Q

Egs of indolizidine

A

Castanospermine

Swainsonine

23
Q

Egs of imidazole

A

Pilocarpine
Pilosine

Pilolo

24
Q

Egs of tropane alkaloids

A

Hyoscine
Cocaine
Atropine

25
Q

What alkaloid is found in belladonna
It’s botanical source
And uses

A

Tropane alkaloid; hyoscine

Leaves of Atropa belladonna of the family Solanaceae

Used as tinctures for preparing sedatives and to check secretions
Mist mag trisilicate has belladonna

26
Q

What alkaloids are in coca

Botanical source

A

Cocaine ,cinnamylcocaine and alpha-truxilline.

leaves of Erythroxylum coca or E. truxillense

27
Q

What are purine bases
Egs of alkaloids
Egs of compounds

A

A fusion of Pyrimidine and imidazole

Important compounds are
–Caffeine
–Theobromine
–Theophylline

Alkaloids are Adenine, guanine and xanthine

28
Q

Reagent for murexide test and color

A

Potassium Chlorate in conc HCL exposed to NH3 vapour

Purple color gives +ve test

29
Q

Egs if the few alkaloids that are liquid

A

Coniine and nicotine

30
Q

Eg of alkaloid that is coloured

A

Berberine- green

31
Q

Physical properties of alkaloids

A
  • Are solids
  • Few are liquids eg coniine and nicotine
  • Few are coloured eg. Berberine
  • Free bases soluble in organic solvent
  • Alkaloidal salts soluble in aqueous solvent
  • Generally bitter with marked biological activity
32
Q

Chemical property of alkaloid

A

Basisity

Due to unshared electron pairs in the nitrogen atom

Phytochem (9 decks)

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