Alkaloidal amines ephedra, colchicum Pharmacognostic study

Alkaloidal amines ephedra, colchicum Pharmacognostic study

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  Page 1 ALKALOIDAL AMINES Ms.M.S.Divya Sree, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy.
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  Page 2 Ephedra Synonym: Ma-Huang BiologicalSource: It consists of the dried young stems of Ephedra gerardiana & Ephedra nebrodensis belonging to family Gnetaceae. Geographical source: China, Pakistan, north-west parts of India, Australia, Kenya, Spain & Yugoslavia.
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  Page 4 Cultivation, Collection& Preparation  Propagation - Seeds or layers or divisions of the root stock.  The plants are collected after attaining the age of 4 yrs for the extraction of alkaloid. During this period, proper irrigation & weeding are necessary.  The alkaloidal content of the drug varies from season to season.  It is found to be maximum in autumn, when plants & twigs are dark in colour.  Twigs are dried in sun or artificially.
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  Page 5 Macroscopy  Colour– grey to greenish  Odour – characteristic  Taste - bitter  Thin stems - woody, cylindrical.  It shows internodes at a distance of about 3 - 3.5 cm.  It bears scaly leaves.
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  Page 6 Microscopy  Unicellularepidermis made up of quandrangular cells with thick walled cuticle.  Sunken stomata & papillae on the ridges.  Cortex  Non lignified fibres.  Lignified pericyclic fibres.  Calcium oxalate crystals  Parenchymatous dark brown coloured pith.
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  Page 7 Chemical Constituents Contains amino alkaloids - Ephedrine, nor- ephedrine, n-methyl ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, etc.  Ephedrine (C10H15NO) is 1-phenyl-1-hydroxy-2- methyl aminopropane, soluble in water, alcohol, organic solvents and oils.
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  Page 8 Chemical test oEphedrine + water + HCl + CuSO4 and NaOH, the solution gives violet color and when shaken with solvent ether the organic layer shows purple and aqueous layer shows blue color.
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  Page 9 Uses Sympathomimetic effects. Bronchodilatorin Asthma, colds, flu and Hay fever medications Allopathic: Sinumed (dries a runny nose) Used as an anti-inflammatory.
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  Page 10 Weight loss (increasesmetabolism, decreases appetite – CNS stimulant – acts on adrenergic receptors) Also used to correct low B.P. conditions.
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  Page 11 COLCHICUM Synonyms: Meadowsaffron seeds, Autumn crocus. Biological source: Dried ripe seeds of Colchicum luteum Baker and Colchicum autumnale Linn. Family: Liliaceae.  Colchicum corm is also used medicinally.
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  Page 12 Geographical Source •Various parts of Europe like – England – Holland – Czechoslovakia – Poland – Yugoslavia • Also cultivated in India.
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  Page 14 Cultivation andcollection  Seed propagation  Altitude 1000 – 3000m  Seedlings – transplanted to open field at a distance of 1 m.  Plants bear capsular fruits after 1 year.
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  Page 15  Fruits– collected before dehiscence.  Dark seeds are separated, processed and graded.  Corms – isolated, adhering scales and coats are removed.  Corms – sliced transversely and dried below 65°C
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  Page 16 Macroscopy Colchicum seeds oReddish brown testa o Acrid taste o No odor o Very hard seeds o 2 – 3 mm diameter o Ovate in shape Colchicum corms o Yellowish brown o Bitter and acrid taste o No odor o Slices 2 – 5 mm thickness o Sub-reniform or ovate in outline o Short fracture o Cut surface – white and starchy, showing grayish points
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  Page 17 Microscopy Colchicum seeds Parenchyma  Endosperm  Aleurone grains  Fixed oil Colchicum corms  Epidermis  Parenchyma  Vascular tissues  Starch grains
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  Page 18 Chemical Constituents Chemical Constituents: 0.2 - 1% of amino alkaloids.  Colchicine is the main constituent.  Seeds contain upto 0.8% of colchicine and in corms upto 0.6%, also contains demecolcine.  Both contain tropolane or cycloheptatrienol-one ring structure.
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  Page 19 Colchicine  Amorphous,yellow - white alkaloid (darkens on exposure to light).  Gives a strong yellow coloration with strong mineral acids.  Dissolves readily in water, alcohol and chloroform, but only slightly in ether or petroleum spirit.
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  Page 20 Chemical test oSample + 70% sulphuric acid = yellow color. o Alcoholic solution of sample + FeCl3 gives red color.
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  Page 21 Uses Antitumor activity. Relievegout (used with caution – professional supervision) and rheumatism. Also used in biological experiments to produce polyploidy (multiplication of the chromosomes in a cell nucleus), hence used in horticulture and cultivation of medicinal plants.