Biological Activities Of Alkaloids From Toxicology To Pharmacology

Natural products are increasingly attracting attention from both basic and applied science. Plant secondary metabolites, especially alkaloids, are receiving interest from a wide range of researchers due to their biological activity. They are produced to protect plants from diseases and herbivores. Therefore, they reveal a toxic activity that affects organisms at various levels of biological organization. A growing amount of research is proving their antimicrobial, antifungal, insecticidal, and anticancer activities. That makes them applicable in various fields from medicine, to pharmacology, veterinary, and toxicology, to crop protection. This Special Issue of Toxins, “Biological Activities of Alkaloids: From Toxicology to Pharmacology", collects 15 manuscripts describing the ecological, biological, pharmacological, and toxicological effects as well as structural and analytical aspects of plant alkaloids, their mode of action, and possible application in veterinary, medicine, and plant protection. These studies prove the potential for alkaloid application in various areas of science.

Natural products are increasingly attracting attention from both basic and applied science. Plant secondary metabolites, especially alkaloids, are receiving interest from a wide range of researchers due to their biological activity. They are produced to protect plants from diseases and herbivores. Therefore, they reveal a toxic activity that affects organisms at various levels of biological organization. A growing amount of research is proving their antimicrobial, antifungal, insecticidal, and anticancer activities. That makes them applicable in various fields from medicine, to pharmacology, veterinary, and toxicology, to crop protection. This Special Issue of Toxins, “Biological Activities of Alkaloids: From Toxicology to Pharmacology"", collects 15 manuscripts describing the ecological, biological, pharmacological, and toxicological effects as well as structural and analytical aspects of plant alkaloids, their mode of action, and possible application in veterinary, medicine, and plant protection. These studies prove the potential for alkaloid application in various areas of science.

Volume 8 of this series presents four timely reviews on alkaloids: Chapter 1 is a magnificent and monumental review of curare, "a group of dart and/or arrow poisons varying in composition and featuring muscle relaxation as their basic pharmacological action." The fascinating history of curare is recounted, beginning with early encounters by the Spanish Conquistadores through its use as arrow poisons by the forest tribes in hunting and warfare, its chemistry, ethnography, botany and pharmacology. A terminal section of this chapter treats the development of modern muscle relaxants. This chapter thus traces how curare-initially only a crude plant extract-has given rise to the widely used and very important neuromuscular blocking agents of today. The precise role of plant secondary metabolites and their interactions with insect herbivores have been focal points for research by chemists, botanists and entomologists for many years. Alkaloids and their glycosides are frequently involved as feeding deterrents. Chapter 2 treats the relationships between the chemistry of alkaloids in host plants and the effects that these compounds may have on insect herbivores. Interestingly, an alkaloid produced by a plant may manifest different effects on different insects.

Plants containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids are so numerous and widespread that they can be expected to be present in most environments. About 200 pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been isolated and identified from different plants. Interest in these alkaloids has increased in recent years due to their causative effects in the heavy loss of livestock in many countries. Naturally Occurring Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids discusses the plant sources and properties of pyrrolizidine alkaloids; extraction, fractionation and identification; various methods of spectrometry of pyrrolizidine alkaloids; quantitative determination; and the toxicity, carcinogenicity, pharmacology, and other biological activities of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Researchers in veterinary and human medicine will find this book to be a fascinating and useful reference tool.

Focusing on phytochemicals and their potential for drug discovery, this book offers a comprehensive resource on poisonous plants and their applications in chemistry and in pharmacology. Provides a comprehensive resource on phytotoxins, covering historical perspectives, modern applications, and their potential in drug discovery - Covers the mechanisms, benefits, risks and management protocols of phytotoxins in a scientific laboratory and the usefulness in drug discovery - Written and edited by leading researchers in phytochemistry, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, toxicology, and more - Presents chapters in a carefully designed, clear order, making it an ideal resource for the academic researcher or the industry professional at any stage in their career Provides a comprehensive resource on phytotoxins, covering historical perspectives, modern applications, and their potential in drug discovery Covers the mechanisms, benefits, risks and management protocols of phytotoxins in a scientific laboratory and the usefulness in drug discovery Presents chapters in a carefully designed, clear order, making it an ideal resource for the academic researcher or the industry professional at any stage in their career

The Alkaloids, Volume 89, the newest release in a series that has covered the topic for more than 60 years, discusses key aspects of alkaloid chemistry, biology and pharmacology. Sections in this release include chapters on Recent Progress in the Chemistry of Naphthylisoquinoline Alkaloids, The Biological Activities of Quinolizidine Alkaloids, and C NMR Spectral Data and Pharmacological Activities of Aporphine Alkaloids. Provides the latest information on the study of alkaloids Covers alkaloid chemistry, biology, pharmacology and medical applications Contains more than 80 published volumes in this interesting field of study

The fact that, of the approximately 600,000 plant species existing on the earth, only some 5 % have been specifically investigated chemically or pharmacologi cally, is a challenge to chemists spezializing in na tural substances and to pharmacologists. In view of the limited number of research capacities and the ever diminishing financial means, this challenge can only be met if, together with an improvement and refinement of methods of analysis, medicinal plant research is carried out on a broader interdisciplinary basis, with comparable, scientifically recognized screening methods, and if it is better coordinated, with greater use of modern documentation means. It is thus necessary in the future to concentrate specifically on projects leading to the development of new medicinal prepara tions. The plenary lectures hold in the present symposium of the 1st International Congress for Research on Medi cinal Plants reflect these efforts and tendencies. At the same time they provide a survey of some of the fields of medicinal plant research which are at present most actual and most intensively researched. They range from plant screening, isolation and structure eluci dation of new principles, to the therapeutical opti mization of a natural product. The lectures given at this congress show clearly the necessity, in addition to national phytochemical so cieties, for a central international organisation, in which all active medicinal plant researchers in the world are included. Their aim should be to provide the impulse for more optimal, rational research, aimed at the solution of specific projects.

"Alkaloids" is intended for by chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy, and other medical students, biologists, chemists, biochemists, and other professionals involved in the field of alkaloids. All chapters in this book are written by professionals in the areas of alkaloid chemistry, biology, pharmacy, and other interesting applications. The chapters cover interesting and less obvious information about different groups of alkaloids.