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Alkaloids: Novel Therapeutic Perspectives

This special issue belongs to the section “Natural Products Chemistry“.

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Finding novel bioactive compounds of natural origin has been a major concern for pharmaceuticals research. Among those natural products, alkaloids area among the oldest drugs in medicine and are promising, novel drug candidates.  Alkaloids are characterized by the presence of a basic nitrogen (usually in a heterocycle); they exhibit highly complex structures that are believed to function as herbivorism deterrents in plants. Hence, they show strong physiological activities in animals, which may translate into important therapeutic actions in humans, under adequate dosages. In recent years, the number of new alkaloids isolated, identified, and studied for their medicinal potential has increased. These alkaloids largely originate from unexpected organisms, such as marine sponges, algae, etc. Moreover, the characterization of many novel therapy targets urges the reappraisal of old alkaloids. This Special Issue is devoted to the recent knowledge concerning the potential of alkaloids as therapeutic options for human diseases, their targets, and mechanisms of action.

Prof. Dr. Patricia Valentao
Prof. Dr. Mariana Sottomayor
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Pyridine group: piperine, coniine, trigonelline, arecaidine, guvacine, pilocarpine, cytisine, nicotine, sparteine, pelletierine.
  • Pyrrolidine group: hygrine, cuscohygrine, nicotine.
  • Tropane group: atropine, cocaine, ecgonine, scopolamine, catuabine.
  • Quinoline group: quinine, quinidine, dihydroquinine, dihydroquinidine, strychnine, brucine, veratrine, cevadine.
  • Isoquinoline group: the opium alkaloids (morphine, codeine, thebaine, isopapa-dimethoxy-aniline, papaverine, narcotine, sanguinarine, narceine, hydrastine, berberine).
  • Phenethylamine group: mescaline, ephedrine, dopamine, amphetamine
  • Indole group: tryptamines (DMT, N-methyltryptamine, psilocybin, serotonin), ergolines: the ergot alkaloids (ergine, ergotamine, lysergic acid, etc.), beta-carbolines (harmine, harmaline, yohimbine, reserpine, emetine), rauwolfia alkaloids (reserpine).
  • Purine group: xanthines (caffeine, theobromine, theophylline).
  • Terpenoid group: aconite alkaloids (aconitine).
  • Steroids: solanine, samandaris, i.e., quaternary ammonium compounds (muscarine, choline, neurine).
  • organic chemistry, natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry, analytical chemistry, etc.

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