Scoulerine

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Scoulerine

0Scoulerine is an alkaloid that is found in a variety of plants, including members of the Papaveraceae and Menispermaceae families. It is named after the Scottish botanist John Scouler, who first identified it. Scoulerine is a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, a type of organic compound that is often used in the production of pharmaceuticals.

Chemical Structure and Properties

Scoulerine has the chemical formula C20H19NO4 and a molecular weight of 337.37 g/mol. It is a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, which means it is composed of two isoquinoline units. These units are connected by a carbon-carbon bond at the benzyl position, which gives the molecule its characteristic structure.

Scoulerine is a solid at room temperature and has a melting point of 218-220 °C. It is soluble in water and organic solvents such as ethanol and methanol.

Biological Activity

Scoulerine has been found to have a variety of biological activities. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. It has also been found to inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is involved in the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This makes it a potential candidate for the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

Biosynthesis

Scoulerine is biosynthesized from the amino acid tyrosine in a series of enzymatic reactions. The first step is the conversion of tyrosine to dopamine by the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase. Dopamine is then converted to norlaudanosoline by the enzyme norlaudanosoline synthase. Norlaudanosoline is then converted to scoulerine by the enzyme scoulerine synthase.

Pharmacology

Scoulerine has been found to have a variety of pharmacological effects. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. It has also been found to inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is involved in the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This makes it a potential candidate for the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.

See Also

• Alkaloid
• Benzylisoquinoline
• John Scouler
• Papaveraceae
• Menispermaceae