Strychnos alkaloids
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Strychnos alkaloids are natural products primarily found in the seeds of the strychnine tree (Strychnos nux-vomica) and in the genus Catharanthus.[1]
The seeds of the strychnine tree contain up to 2.5% strychnine and brucine.[2]
Representatives
The primary representative of this group of alkaloids are strychnine and brucine.[1][3] Other notable representatives include vomicin and acuammicin.[4]
Vomicin
Akuammicine
Stereochemistry
The naturally occurring strychnos alkaloids are all chiral and sterically uniform. When this article or the scientific literature names one of these alkaloids without adding another name, it actually states:
- acuammicine for (-)-acuammicine,
- brucine for (-)-brucine,
- strychnine for (-)-strychnine and
- vomicin for (+)-vomicin.
The bracket expressions represent the sense of rotation of the optical activity of these substances.