Alkaloids

Alkaloids are chemical compounds found in some plants and animal organisms. They can be both poisonous and beneficial to human health.

Alkaloids were discovered in 1810 by Swiss chemist Carl Schmidt. He discovered that some plants contain substances that cause poisoning when eaten. These substances were called alkaloids, which means “alkaline substances” in Latin.

Alkaloids have many beneficial properties for humans. They are used medicinally to treat various diseases such as headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhea and others. Alkaloids are also used as pesticides to protect plants from pests.

However, alkaloids can also be hazardous to health. Some of them can cause poisoning if overdosed or misused. Therefore, before using any medicines containing alkaloids, you should consult your doctor.

In general, alkaloids are complex compounds that have many properties and applications in various areas of human life.

Alkaloids (from Latin alcas, alcaeus - caustic and Greek εἶδος - kind). – complex organic substances, a heterogeneous group of natural compounds, differing in structure and properties, containing more than one benzene ring, several functional groups and a characteristic amino or oxime group in the molecule; are formed by plants and producers as a means of protection against parasitic influence. Most of the alkaloids are glycosides of the tropane series; the most famous among them are atropine and scopolamine. Named by Paul Ehrlich and Otmar Fischer in 1819. The first descriptions of alkaloids belong to Georg Stamatius and Johann Schmidt at the end of the 17th century. Since the 20s. XX century The taxonomy of alkaloids gradually becomes more complex. Currently, more than 70 thousand alkaloid compounds are being considered. The most representative alkaloids are periwinkle, hemlock, henbane, bryonia, brugmansia, datura, coniine, godson, hellebore, etc. Among the main characteristic properties of alkaloids, one can note their ability to cause stimulation, depression or blockade of the nervous system, cause stimulation of cardiovascular activity, depress breath. The belladonna alkaloid, found in belladonna and some other plants of the nightshade family, stimulates the secretion of the salivary glands and stomach glands, has a depressing effect on the activity of the heart, excites the nervous system, creates paralysis of accommodation, and causes constriction of the pupil. The use of krapp alkaloids in medicine is associated with a tonic effect on cardiac activity. The body's reaction to alkaloids from different plants is individual; in addition, the use of these drugs is permissible only with careful dosing. Here are just some of the well-known alka preparations: