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Thursday, March 19, 2009

WHAT ARE ALKALOIDS?

Definition: -

“Alkaloids are nitrogenous basic compounds, usually of plant origin having definite pharmacological activities.”

Alkaloids are present in the form of complexes in plant kingdom. These are complex amines. All alkaloids possess nitrogen atom in nature.

Mostly they are obtained from plants, but some are of animal and bacterial origin.

Distribution:

Alkaloids are mainly distributed in plant kingdom but they are also obtained from bacteria and fungi

(i) Among the “Angiosperms”, Leguminosae, Papaveraceae, Ranunculaceae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae, and Barberidaceae, are out standing alkaloid-yielding plant.

(ii) Among the “Gymnosperms”, Taxaceae, rarely contain alkaloids.

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