Agricola
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Phytochemicals
Plants are powerful chemists. I will share some literature references on plant-made chemicals (phytochemicals) here.
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Journal of Ethnopharmacology 95 (2004) 123-126
Cerbera odollam: a "suicide tree" and cause of death in the state of Kerala, India
Cerbera odollam is a tree belonging to the poisonous Apocynaceae family, which includes the yellow and common oleanders. The seeds are excessively
toxic, containing cerberin as the main active cardenolide. Cerbera venenifera, a related species found in Madagascar, has a long history as an ordeal
poison, and was responsible for the death of 3000 people per year in previous centuries.
The odollam tree is responsible for about 50% of the plant poisoning cases and 10% of the total poisoning cases in Kerala, India. It is used both for
suicide and homicide. The aim of this retrospective study is to call attention to a powerful toxic plant that is currently completely ignored by
western physicians, chemists, analysts and even coroners and forensic toxicologists. |
[Edited on 2-11-2013 by Agricola]
Attachment: cerbera_gaillard2004.pdf (79kB)
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Agricola
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| Quote: | Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 38 (2008) 355
Ipecacuanha: the South American vomiting root
The story of ipecacuanha, derived from the plant Cephaelis, is a fascinating one. It was discovered in Brazil in the 1600s and then transported to
Paris in the latter part of the same century. It was used there by the physician Helvetius on various members of the French royal court to treat the
flux (dysentery) with some success. Later, in the eighteenth century, it was taken up by the physician and privateer Thomas Dover and became, with
opium, a fundamental constituent of his celebrated powder, which was used widely to treat fevers and agues for the next 200 years. Progress was then
delayed until the early 1800s when the School of Chemistry at Paris established that the dried root of ipecac contained two powerful alkaloids,
emetine and cephaeline, that consistently caused vomiting and diarrhoea. The discovery of the pathogenic amoeba, Entamoeba histolytica, in the latter
part of the nineteenth century, allowed a distinction to be made between the two main forms of dysentery (amoebic and bacillary). Emetine was shown to
be active against the amoebic form of dysentery but ineffective against that caused by bacteria. Ipecacuanha, its root and the pure alkaloid emetine
have now been abandoned on the grounds of toxicity. They have been replaced by safer, more effective compounds. Nevertheless, they deserve an honoured
place in the history of medicine, especially in the search for an effective treatment for amoebic dysentery. |
Attachment: ipecacuanha_lee2008.pdf (359kB)
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Agricola
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| Quote: | Forensic Science International 199 (2010) e9-e13
Two UK suicides using nicotine extracted from tobacco employing instructions available on the Internet
Tobacco is one of the most easily accessible and commonly abused drugs world-wide. Nicotine, one of its principal constituents, can cause serious or
fatal overdoses. Whilst the deliberate ingestion of this substance appears to be relatively rare, often the important signs of its consumption are not
recognised, sometimes with fatal results. Here we describe two cases of intentional fatal ingestion of nicotine. The nicotine was extracted from
tobacco using instructions available on the Internet. The first case involved a male aged 19 who died in 2008. The post-mortem blood and urine
levels of nicotine were 5.5 mg/l and >80 mg/l respectively; the blood level is in line with the generally recognised fatal level of >5 mg/l. The
levels of nicotine’s main metabolite, cotinine, for this case were 2.5 mg/l and 7.9 mg/l for blood and urine respectively. A comparative case in
1999 involved a 32 year-old male. The level of post-mortem nicotine in his blood was 1.0 mg/l. These are believed to be the first UK suicides by
nicotine using instructions from the Internet reported in the literature. Information that nicotine was the agent responsible only became apparent
some time after death. There may be more deaths due to this cause that go unrecognised because quantification of nicotine and cotinine levels is
not often conducted, due to the wide prevalence of smoking. It is important that all evidence at the scene of a sudden and unexplained death is
carefully evaluated, including potential clues on PCs and lap-tops. |
Attachment: tobacco_corkery2010.pdf (122kB)
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Agricola
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| Quote: | Forensic Science Review 5 (1993) 95
Illicit Production of Cocaine
The predominant methods currently used for illicit production of cocaine are described. For illicit natural cocaine (i.e., from coca leaf), this
includes production of coca paste from coca leaf via both the solvent and acid extraction techniques, purification of coca paste to cocaine base, and
conversion of cocaine base to cocaine hydrochloride. For illicit synthetic cocaine (i.e., synthesized from precursor chemicals), the classic five-step
synthetic route used in all clandestine laboratories seized to date is summarized. The origins of the most common alkaloidal impurities and
processing/synthetic by-products typically identified in illicit natural, illicit synthetic, and pharmaceutical cocaine are discussed. Forensic
differentiation of exhibits arising from the various production methods are addressed both in terms of overall product purity and the presence/absence
of these impurities and by-products. |
Attachment: cocaine_casale1993.pdf (681kB)
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chemrox
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I asked a friend with psi-del expertise about ibogaine (I think an "M" is missing from the name) and he said with 3 chiral centers it was best to let
the plant to the synthesis.
"When you let the dumbasses vote you end up with populism followed by autocracy and getting back is a bitch." Plato (sort of)
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Agricola
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Sure, laboratory production of structurally complex phytochemicals is usually economically unfeasible and is done for research purposes only. I think
this is true even for nicotine, with one chiral center and no fused rings. One exception I recall now is ephedrine, made from benzaldehyde in two
steps, fermentation then reductive amination.
Plants use CO2 as a synthon. Human chemists can't compete economically.
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Agricola
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| Quote: | Economic Botany 23 (1969) 174
Tabernanthe iboga: an African narcotic plant of social importance
Tabernanthe iboga is an apocynaceous shrub native to the forests of Gabon and the northern Congo. First described in the late 1800's, it has been
reasonably well studied by botanists. The roots of T. iboga contain several indole alkaloids, of which the most important, ibogaine, is a central
stimulant and in large doses an hallucinogen. In Gabon, the roots are used in the initiation rites to a number of secret societies, of which the Bwiti
is most famous. The plant remains to this day a central feature of local religion, and its spectacular effects have hampered native acceptance of
Christianity in Gabon. |
Attachment: iboga_pope1969.pdf (554kB)
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Agricola
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| Quote: | Mandragora: anesthetic of the Ancients
Anesthesia & Analgesia 115 (2012) 1437
Initial attempts at surgical anesthesia began many centuries ago, with the plants of antiquity. The mandragora, or mandrake, was used as a sedative
and to induce pain relief for surgical procedures. It has been depicted in tablets and friezes since the 16th century before the common era (BCE) and
used for its sedative effects by Hannibal (second century BCE) against his enemies. The Romans used the mandrake for surgery. The Arabs translated the
scientific work of the Ancients and expanded on their knowledge. They developed the Spongia Somnifera, which contained the juice of the mandrake
plant. After the fall of the Islamic cities of Europe to the Christians, scientific work was translated into Latin and the Spongia Somnifera was used
in Europe until the discovery of the use of ether for surgical anesthesia. |
Attachment: nightshades_chidiac2012.pdf (545kB)
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chemrox
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Hey Aggy, is iboga really in the Apocynaceae? Cool, interesting family! Uhhh.. if you "edit" your posts you can ad information without using so much
space. Just a hint for a relative newcomer. Welcome! by the way..
"When you let the dumbasses vote you end up with populism followed by autocracy and getting back is a bitch." Plato (sort of)
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Agricola
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Quote: Originally posted by chemrox  | | Hey Aggy, is iboga really in the Apocynaceae? Cool, interesting family! Uhhh.. if you "edit" your posts you can ad information without using so much
space. Just a hint for a relative newcomer. Welcome! by the way.. |
That is what the author and some other sources say, chemrox. My formal education is in Chemistry only. By the way, there is a dude from Indonesia who
sells iboga seeds. I hope you are enjoying the topic.
You mean one paper per post wastes space? Editing is not possible after some time has passed.
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What
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I just a warning for anyone who thinks this is a good idea... Careful of your local laws regarding T. iboga.
Anyway, the Apocynaceae is an amazing family of plants - so much diversity. Especially in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae, one of my personal favorites, so many interesting succulent plants to grow.
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Agricola
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| Quote: Originally posted by What |
I just a warning for anyone who thinks this is a good idea... Careful of your local laws regarding T. iboga.
Anyway, the Apocynaceae is an amazing family of plants - so much diversity. Especially in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae, one of my personal favorites, so many interesting succulent plants to grow. |
The legal aspects of phytochemicals also belongs on this topic.
True, cultivation of iboga is regulated in some nations. Your local laws should be checked before carrying out the experiment. Amateur scientists of
course are used to this kind of situation.
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Agricola
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| Quote: | Economic Botany 26 (1972) 101
"Ayahuasca," the South American Hallucinogenic Drink: an Ethnobotanical and Chemical Investigation
The Sharanahua and Culina, small Indian tribes located in the south-western Amazon basin, use a hallucinogenic drink for medicinal and social
purposes. This decoction, called "Ayahuasca" in Peru, is prepared from Banisteriopsis Caapi stems and Psychotria sp. leaves. These plants have been
botanically identified on the basis of voucher herbarium specimens and investigated for alkaloid content by means of a gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry technique. A list of other occasional plant admixtures is given. Harmine, Harmaline, Tetrahydroharmine, Harmol and 6-Methoxytryptamine
have been found in Banisteriopsis Caapi. Dimethyltryptamine, Monomethyltryptamine and 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline have been found in
Psychotria viridis and Psychotria carthaginensis. Harmine, Harmaline, Tetrahydroharmine and Dimethyltryptamine have been found in the drink.
Quantitative calculations show the amount of each alkaloid administered in the Ayahuasca drink. |
Attachment: ayahuasca_rivier1972.pdf (779kB)
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khlor
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I believe that almost everything can be made from bacteria, plants or fungis. be it directly or indirectly. because, making things directly in the
synthetic way is so expensive. and I would go further and say that bio is the way for a brightly future.
"NOOOOOO!!! The mixture is all WROOOOOOONG!"
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JAVA
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| Quote: Originally posted by What |
I just a warning for anyone who thinks this is a good idea... Careful of your local laws regarding T. iboga.
Anyway, the Apocynaceae is an amazing family of plants - so much diversity. Especially in the subfamily Asclepiadoideae, one of my personal favorites, so many interesting succulent plants to grow. |
Iboga seeds in Indonesia ? 2 words: forget it!
Clear, clever chemists use phytochemicals as precursor, indeed 
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