Strychnos nux-vomica

About: Strychnos nux-vomica is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 187 publications have been published within this topic receiving 2598 citations.

Chapter 3 Recent Studies on the Synthesis of Strychnine

Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of recent studies on the synthesis of strychnine. Seeds of Strychnos nux vomica , which are the source of the notorious poison strychnine, were used as a traditional poison. Strychnine poisoning can be fatal to humans and can be introduced to the body by inhalation, swallowing, or absorption through the eyes or mouth. It produces some of the best-known, most dramatic, terrifying, and painful symptoms imaginable. The Strychnos alkaloids constitute an important group of architecturally complex and widely distributed monoterpenoid indole alkaloids. The structural complexity of strychnine, coupled with its biological activity, has served as the impetus for numerous synthetic investigations. The polycyclization reactions utilized for strychnine synthesis are classified according to the reaction type. Magnus and Fukuyama employed the transannular cyclization of similar iminium ion intermediates, leading to two-ring and three-ring formation, respectively. In Stork's and Martin's syntheses, Harley-Mason's skeletal rearrangement strategy was used to close the C and E rings. Domino cyclizations developed by Overman and Kuehne involve both [3,3]sigmatropic rearrangement and the Mannich reaction.

Immunosuppressive activity of crude terpenoids from extracts of Emblica officinalis, Ficus racemosa and Strychnos nux-vomica

Abstract: According to the literature which revealed that immunopharmacological based activity of crude terpenoids extracted from the leaves of Emblica officinalis, Ficus racemosa and Strychnos nux-vomica on human whole blood has not been carried out. In order to explore its immunosuppressive activity of these crude terpenoids (6.25-25 mg/ml; 50 µl) using human whole blood stimulated with hepatitis B vaccine containing surface antigen (HBsAg, 20 µg/ml; 10 µl) pertaining to human blood counts (lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes count), CD14 monocyte surface marker and HBsAg stimulated proliferation assay. The results showed that these crude terpenoids extracted from various medicinal plants containing HBsAg inhibited the percentage count of monocytes as well as granulocytes at higher doses. In addition, these crude terpenoids also reduces its proliferation rate at higher doses as compared to control and standard (HBsAg). The overall conclusion of this study showed that these crude terpenoids possess immunosuppressive activity and might be used for various therapeutic purposes.

Effect of detoxification (tadbeer) in content of toxic metabolites of Strychnos nux-vomica: A Unani approach for its use in human

Abstract: Background: Azaraqi ( Strychnos nux - vomica , Loganiaceae) has been the important Unani medicine since long time as a stimulant, anti-inflammatory, and blood purifier. It has been used very frequently by the Unani practitioner. But the Unani system recommends application of azaraqi in medicine only after its detoxification (tadbeer) may be because of the presence of its deadly poisonous alkaloids (strychnine and brucine). In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to quantify the actual content of their toxic alkaloids before and after the tadbeer. Materials and Methods: A sensitive high-performance thin layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method has been developed for estimation of strychnine and brucine in different samples of azaraqi before and after tadbeer. Precoated HPTLC silica gel plates were used as stationary phase and (toluene: Ethyl acetate: Dietylamine 7:2:1 v/v/v) was used as mobile phase. Result: The R f value of strychnine and brucine was found as 0.53 and 0.41, respectively. Detection and quantification were performed by densitometry at 270 nm. The calibration plot was linear in the range of 50–1000 ng of strychnine and brucine, respectively, with the correlation coefficient ( r 2 ) 0.993 and 0.991 for strychnine and brucine, respectively, which confirms good linearity. The content of strychnine was 0.175, 0.07, 0.18, 0.051, and 0.075% w/w whereas brucine was 0.16, 0.117, 0.061, 0.045, and 0.057 in crude azaraqi, azaraqi without outer cover, azaraqi outer cover only, azaraqi mudabbar and azaraqi mudabbar by fried in ghee, respectively. Conclusion: The detoxification results in sharp decrease in content of toxic metabolites. The process by boiling in milk was found much effective but tedious as compare to frying method.

[Study on Chemical Constituents of Strychnos nux-vomica].

Abstract: Objective To isolate and identify the chemical constituents from the seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica. Methods Chromatographic separation techniques such as silica gel chromatography,ODS chromatography and Sephadex LH-20 chromatography were used for the isolation and purification. The structures of the chemical constituents were identified on the basis of mass spectrometry,NMR spectroscopy and so on. Results 16 compounds were isolated and their structures were identified as: α-amyrin( 1), vomicine( 2), stearic acid( 3), β-sitosterol( 4),vanillin( 5), ethyl gallate( 6),methyl gallate( 7),novacine( 8),strychnine( 9), daucosterol( 10),brucine chloromethochloride( 11),loganic acid( 12),strychnine chloromethochloride( 13),brucine( 14),geniposide( 15) and loganin( 16). Conclusion Compounds 3,6,7 and 15 are isolated from this genus for the first time.