Tag: Alkaloid

Nicotine is a nitrogen-containing alkaloid compound that is biosynthesized in plants as a defense mechanism against insects. To fully understand **what is nicotine made of**, it is essential to explore both its natural origins within the tobacco plant and the modern synthetic manufacturing processes used to produce a purified version for a range of products.

With a history dating back to ancient times, the plant *Colchicum autumnale* is the source of the potent alkaloid medication, colchicine. This article details how this natural compound works to treat various inflammatory conditions, answering the question: **What is the active ingredient in Colchicum?**

Hordenine, a naturally occurring alkaloid found in barley and other plants, is frequently marketed in dietary supplements for its purported benefits in weight loss and athletic performance. However, sources like WebMD and RxList warn that it is "possibly unsafe" and lacks sufficient scientific evidence to support these common uses.

First isolated from the opium poppy in 1848, papaverine is a smooth muscle relaxant that is chemically and pharmacologically distinct from the narcotic opium alkaloids. It is primarily used to treat various conditions involving spasms of the smooth muscles in blood vessels and internal organs.

Curine is the principal bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BBA) obtained from the plant *Chondrodendron platyphyllum* [1.2.1], a key ingredient in the historic South American arrow poison known as curare [1.3.4, 1.7.2]. So, what does curine do? Its primary role is as a potent muscle relaxant.

Originally derived from the *Strychnos nux-vomica* tree, strychnine was historically employed for a variety of purposes before its extreme toxicity was fully understood. Exploring what was strychnine used for reveals a startling and cautionary tale in the annals of pharmacology and toxicology.

Over 40 alkaloids have been isolated from the kratom plant, but mitragynine stands out as the most abundant, often accounting for up to 66% of the plant's total alkaloid content. This indole alkaloid is the primary psychoactive component responsible for kratom's dose-dependent effects.