Alkaloidal amines ephedra, colchicum. Pharmacognostic study of Ephedra, Colchicum

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ALKALOIDAL AMINES
Ms. M.S.Divya Sree,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Pharmacognosy.

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Ephedra
Synonym: Ma-Huang
Biological Source: It consists of the dried young stems
of Ephedra gerardiana & Ephedra nebrodensis
belonging to family Gnetaceae.
Geographical source: China, Pakistan, north-west parts
of India, Australia, Kenya, Spain & Yugoslavia.

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Cultivation, Collection &
Preparation
 Propagation - Seeds or layers or divisions of the root stock.
 The plants are collected after attaining the age of 4 yrs for
the extraction of alkaloid. During this period, proper
irrigation & weeding are necessary.
 The alkaloidal content of the drug varies from season to
season.
 It is found to be maximum in autumn, when plants & twigs
are dark in colour.
 Twigs are dried in sun or artificially.

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Macroscopy
 Colour – grey to greenish
 Odour – characteristic
 Taste - bitter
 Thin stems - woody, cylindrical.
 It shows internodes at a distance of about 3 - 3.5 cm.
 It bears scaly leaves.

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Microscopy
 Unicellular epidermis made up of quandrangular cells with
thick walled cuticle.
 Sunken stomata & papillae on the ridges.
 Cortex
 Non lignified fibres.
 Lignified pericyclic fibres.
 Calcium oxalate crystals
 Parenchymatous dark brown coloured pith.

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Chemical Constituents
 Contains amino alkaloids - Ephedrine, nor-
ephedrine, n-methyl ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, etc.
 Ephedrine (C10H15NO) is 1-phenyl-1-hydroxy-2-
methyl aminopropane, soluble in water, alcohol,
organic solvents and oils.

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Chemical test
o Ephedrine + water + HCl + CuSO4 and NaOH, the
solution gives violet color and when shaken with
solvent ether the organic layer shows purple and
aqueous layer shows blue color.

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Uses
Sympathomimetic effects.
Bronchodilator in Asthma, colds, flu and Hay fever
medications
Allopathic: Sinumed (dries a runny nose)
Used as an anti-inflammatory.

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Weight loss
(increases metabolism, decreases appetite – CNS
stimulant – acts on adrenergic receptors)
Also used to correct low B.P. conditions.

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COLCHICUM
Synonyms: Meadow saffron seeds, Autumn crocus.
Biological source: Dried ripe seeds of Colchicum
luteum Baker and Colchicum autumnale Linn.
Family: Liliaceae.
 Colchicum corm is also used medicinally.

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Geographical Source
• Various parts of Europe like
– England
– Holland
– Czechoslovakia
– Poland
– Yugoslavia
• Also cultivated in India.

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Cultivation and collection
 Seed propagation
 Altitude 1000 – 3000m
 Seedlings – transplanted to open field at a distance of
1 m.
 Plants bear capsular fruits after 1 year.

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 Fruits – collected before dehiscence.
 Dark seeds are separated, processed and graded.
 Corms – isolated, adhering scales and coats are
removed.
 Corms – sliced transversely and dried below 65°C

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Macroscopy
Colchicum seeds
o Reddish brown testa
o Acrid taste
o No odor
o Very hard seeds
o 2 – 3 mm diameter
o Ovate in shape
Colchicum corms
o Yellowish brown
o Bitter and acrid taste
o No odor
o Slices 2 – 5 mm thickness
o Sub-reniform or ovate in outline
o Short fracture
o Cut surface – white and starchy,
showing grayish points

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Microscopy
Colchicum seeds
 Parenchyma
 Endosperm
 Aleurone grains
 Fixed oil
Colchicum corms
 Epidermis
 Parenchyma
 Vascular tissues
 Starch grains

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Chemical Constituents
 Chemical Constituents: 0.2 - 1% of amino alkaloids.
 Colchicine is the main constituent.
 Seeds contain upto 0.8% of colchicine and in corms
upto 0.6%, also contains demecolcine.
 Both contain tropolane or cycloheptatrienol-one ring
structure.

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Colchicine
 Amorphous, yellow - white alkaloid (darkens on
exposure to light).
 Gives a strong yellow coloration with strong mineral
acids.
 Dissolves readily in water, alcohol and chloroform,
but only slightly in ether or petroleum spirit.

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Chemical test
o Sample + 70% sulphuric acid = yellow color.
o Alcoholic solution of sample + FeCl3 gives
red color.

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Uses
Antitumor activity.
Relieve gout (used with caution – professional
supervision) and rheumatism.
Also used in biological experiments to produce
polyploidy (multiplication of the chromosomes in a
cell nucleus), hence used in horticulture and
cultivation of medicinal plants.