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Aconitine
Aconitine is an alkaloid toxin produced by various plant species belonging to the genus ''Aconitum'' (family Ranunculaceae), commonly known by the names wolfsbane and monkshood. Aconitine is notorious for its toxic properties. Structure and reactivity Biologically active isolates from ''Aconitum'' and ''Delphinium'' plants are classified as norditerpenoid alkaloids, which are further subdivided based on the presence or absence of the C18 carbon. Aconitine is a C19-norditerpenoid, based on its presence of this C18 carbon. It is barely soluble in water, but very soluble in organic solvents such as chloroform or diethyl ether. Aconitine is also soluble in mixtures of ethanol, alcohol and water if the concentration of alcohol is high enough. Like many other alkaloids, the basic nitrogen atom in one of the six-membered ring structure of aconitine can easily form salts and ions, giving it affinity for both chemical polarity, polar and lipophilicity, lipophilic structures (such as cell ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Aconitum
''Aconitum'' (), also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family (biology), family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly native plant, native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows. Most ''Aconitum'' species are extremely poisonous and must be handled very carefully. Several ''Aconitum'' Hybrid (biology), hybrids, such as the Arendsii form of ''Aconitum carmichaelii'', have won gardening awards—such as the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Some are used by florists. Etymology The name ''aconitum'' comes from the Greek word , which may derive from the Greek ''akon'' for dart (missile), dart or javelin, the tips of which were poisoned with the substance, or from ''akonae'', because of the ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Monkshood
''Aconitum'' (), also known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, devil's helmet, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly native to the mountainous parts of the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia, growing in the moisture-retentive but well-draining soils of mountain meadows. Most ''Aconitum'' species are extremely poisonous and must be handled very carefully. Several ''Aconitum'' hybrids, such as the Arendsii form of ''Aconitum carmichaelii'', have won gardening awards—such as the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Some are used by florists. Etymology The name ''aconitum'' comes from the Greek word , which may derive from the Greek ''akon'' for dart or javelin, the tips of which were poisoned with the substance, or from ''akonae'', because of the rocky ground on which the plant was thought to grow. The Greek name ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Batrachotoxin
Batrachotoxin (BTX) is an extremely potent cardiotoxic and neurotoxic steroidal alkaloid found in certain species of beetles, birds, and frogs. The name is from the Greek word . Structurally-related chemical compounds are often referred to collectively as batrachotoxins. In certain frogs, this alkaloid is present mostly on the skin. Such frogs are among those used for poisoning darts. Batrachotoxin binds to and irreversibly opens the sodium channels of nerve cells and prevents them from closing, resulting in paralysis and death. No antidote is known. History Batrachotoxin was discovered by Fritz Märki and Bernhard Witkop, at the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A. Märki and Witkop separated the potent toxic alkaloids fraction from '' Phyllobates bicolor'' and determined its chemical properties in 1963. They isolated four major toxic steroidal alkaloids including batrachotoxin, homobatrachotoxin (is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Veratridine
Veratridine is a steroidal alkaloid found in plants of the lily family, specifically the genera ''Veratrum'' and ''Schoenocaulon''. Upon absorption through the skin or mucous membranes, it acts as a neurotoxin by binding to and preventing the inactivation of voltage-gated sodium ion channels in heart, nerve, and skeletal muscle cell membranes. Veratridine increases nerve excitability and intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. Isolation Veratridine has been isolated from the seeds of ''Schoenocaulon officinale'' and from the rhizomes of ''Veratrum album.'' Like the other steroidal alkaloids found in these plants and similar ones in the Melanthiaceae family, it is present as part of a glycosidal combination, bonded to carbohydrate moieties. Early isolation methods relied on formation of the nitrate salt and then precipitation of the insoluble sulfate form. Accounts of these efforts date back to 1878, but the first true purification of veratridine is the one carried out in 1953 by Kupc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Grayanotoxin
Grayanotoxins are a group of closely related neurotoxins named after ''Leucothoe grayana'', a plant native to Japan and named for 19th-century American botanist Asa Gray. Grayanotoxin I (grayanotoxane-3,5,6,10,14,16-hexol 14-acetate) is also known as andromedotoxin, acetylandromedol, rhodotoxin and asebotoxin. Grayanotoxins are produced by ''Rhododendron'' species and other plants in the family Ericaceae. Honey made from the nectar and so containing pollen of these plants also contains grayanotoxins and is commonly referred to as mad honey. Consumption of the plant or any of its secondary products, including mad honey, can cause a rare poisonous reaction called grayanotoxin poisoning, mad honey disease, honey intoxication, or rhododendron poisoning. It is most frequently produced and consumed in regions of Turkey and Nepal as a recreational drug and traditional medicine. Origin Grayanotoxins are produced by plants in the family Ericaceae, specifically members of the genera ''A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Sodium Channel
Sodium channels are integral membrane proteins that form ion channels, conducting sodium ions (Na+) through a cell (biology), cell's cell membrane, membrane. They belong to the Cation channel superfamily, superfamily of cation channels. Classification They are classified into 2 types: Function In excitable cells such as neurons, muscle, myocytes, and certain types of glia, sodium channels are responsible for the Action potential#Stimulation and rising phase, rising phase of action potentials. These channels go through three different states called resting, active and inactive states. Even though the resting and inactive states would not allow the ions to flow through the channels the difference exists with respect to their structural conformation. Selectivity Sodium channels are highly selective for the transport of ions across cell membranes. The high selectivity with respect to the sodium ion is achieved in many different ways. All involve encapsulation of the sodium ion in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a broad class of natural product, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. Some synthetic compounds of similar structure may also be termed alkaloids. Alkaloids are produced by a large variety of organisms including bacteria, fungus, fungi, Medicinal plant, plants, and animals. They can be purified from crude extracts of these organisms by acid-base extraction, or solvent extractions followed by silica-gel column chromatography. Alkaloids have a wide range of pharmacology, pharmacological activities including antimalarial medication, antimalarial (e.g. quinine), asthma, antiasthma (e.g. ephedrine), chemotherapy, anticancer (e.g. omacetaxine mepesuccinate, homoharringtonine), cholinomimetic (e.g. galantamine), vasodilation, vasodilatory (e.g. vincamine), Antiarrhythmic agent, antiarrhythmic (e.g. quinidine), analgesic (e.g. morphine), antibacterial (e.g. chelerythrine), and anti-diabetic, antihyperglycemic activities (e.g. berb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Delphinium
''Delphinium'' is a genus of about 300 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the family (biology), family Ranunculaceae, native species, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The genus was erected by Carl Linnaeus. All members of the genus ''Delphinium'' are toxic to humans and livestock. The common name larkspur is shared between perennial ''Delphinium'' species and annual species of the genus ''Consolida''. Molecular data show that ''Consolida'', as well as another segregate genus, ''Aconitella'', are both embedded in ''Delphinium''. The genus name ''Delphinium'' derives from the Ancient Greek word () which means "dolphin", a name used in ''De Materia Medica'' for some kind of larkspur. Pedanius Dioscorides said the plant got its name because of its dolphin-shaped flowers. Habitat Species with short stems and few flowers such as ''Delphinium nuttallianum'' and ''Delphinium bicolor'' appear in habitats like ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Ranunculaceae
Ranunculaceae (, buttercup or crowfoot family; Latin "little frog", from "frog") is a family (biology), family of over 2,000 known species of flowering plants in 43 genera, distributed worldwide. The largest genera are ''Ranunculus'' (600 species), ''Delphinium'' (365), ''Thalictrum'' (330), ''Clematis'' (380), and ''Aconitum'' (300). Description Ranunculaceae are mostly herbaceous annuals or perennials, but some are woody climbers (such as ''Clematis'') or shrubs (e.g. ''Xanthorhiza''). Most members of the family have bisexual flowers which can be showy or inconspicuous. Flowers are solitary, but are also found aggregated in Cyme (botany), cymes, panicles, or spike (botany), spikes. The flowers are usually radially symmetrical but are also found to be bilaterally symmetrical in the genera ''Aconitum'' and ''Delphinium''. The sepals, petals, stamens and carpels are all generally free (not fused), the outer flower segments typically number four or five. The outer stamens may ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Terpenoid
The terpenoids, also known as isoprenoids, are a class of naturally occurring organic compound, organic chemicals derived from the 5-carbon compound isoprene and its derivatives called terpenes, diterpenes, etc. While sometimes used interchangeably with "terpenes", terpenoids contain additional functional groups, usually containing oxygen. When combined with the hydrocarbon terpenes, terpenoids comprise about 80,000 compounds. They are the largest class of plant secondary metabolites, representing about 60% of known Natural Products, natural products. Many terpenoids have substantial pharmacological bioactivity and are therefore of interest to medicinal chemists. Plant terpenoids are used for their aromatic qualities and play a role in traditional herbal remedies. Terpenoids contribute to the scent of eucalyptus, the flavors of cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, the yellow color in sunflowers, and the red color in tomatoes. Well-known terpenoids include citral, menthol, camphor, salvin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Total Synthesis
Total synthesis, a specialized area within organic chemistry, focuses on constructing complex organic compounds, especially those found in nature, using laboratory methods. It often involves synthesizing natural products from basic, commercially available starting materials. Total synthesis targets can also be organometallic or inorganic. While total synthesis aims for complete construction from simple starting materials, modifying or partially synthesizing these compounds is known as semisynthesis. Natural product synthesis serves as a critical tool across various scientific fields. In organic chemistry, it tests new synthetic methods, validating and advancing innovative approaches. In medicinal chemistry, natural product synthesis is essential for creating bioactive compounds, driving progress in drug discovery and therapeutic development. Similarly, in chemical biology, it provides research tools for studying biological systems and processes. Additionally, synthesis aids natur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Chemical Synapse
Chemical synapses are biological junctions through which neurons' signals can be sent to each other and to non-neuronal cells such as those in muscles or glands. Chemical synapses allow neurons to form circuits within the central nervous system. They are crucial to the biological computations that underlie perception and thought. They allow the nervous system to connect to and control other systems of the body. At a chemical synapse, one neuron releases neurotransmitter molecules into a small space (the synaptic cleft) that is adjacent to another neuron. The neurotransmitters are contained within small sacs called synaptic vesicles, and are released into the synaptic cleft by exocytosis. These molecules then bind to neurotransmitter receptors on the postsynaptic cell. Finally, the neurotransmitters are cleared from the synapse through one of several potential mechanisms including enzymatic degradation or re-uptake by specific transporters either on the presynaptic cell or ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
