Journal of Analytical & Pharmaceutical Research Solanum Alkaloids and their Pharmaceutical Roles: A Review Abstract Review Article The genus Solanum is treated to be one of the hypergenus among the flowering epithets. The genus is well represented in the tropical and warmer temperate Volume 3 Issue 6 - 2016 families and is comprised of about 1500 species with at least 5000 published Solanum species are endemic to the northeastern region. 1Department of Botany, India Many Solanum species are widely used in popular medicine or as vegetables. The 2Department of Botany, Trivandrum University College, India presenceregions. About of the 20 steroidal of these alkaloid solasodine, which is potentially an important starting material for the synthesis of steroid hormones, is characteristic of *Corresponding author: Murugan K, Plant Biochemistry the genus Solanum. Soladodine, and its glocosylated forms like solamargine, and Molecular Biology Lab, Department of Botany, solosonine and other compounds of potential therapeutic values. India, Email: Keywords: Solanum; Steroidal alkaloid; Solasodine; Hypergenus; Glocosylated; Trivandrum University College, Trivandrum 695 034, Kerala, Injuries; Infections Received: | Published: October 21, 2016 December 15, 2016 Abbreviations: TGA: Total Glycoalkaloid; SGA: Steroidal range of biological activities such as antimicrobial, antirheumatics, Glycoalkaloid; SGT: Sergeant; HMG: Hydroxy Methylglutaryl; LDL: Low Density Lipoprotein; ACAT: Assistive Context Aware Further, these alkaloids are of paramount importance in drug Toolkit; HMDM: Human Monocyte Derived Macrophage; industriesanticonvulsants, as they anti-inflammatory, serve as precursors antioxidant or lead molecules and anticancer. for the synthesis of many of the steroidal drugs which have been used CE: Cholesterol Ester; CCl4: Carbon Tetrachloride; 6-OHDA: 6-hydroxydopamine; IL: Interleukin; TNF: Tumor Necrosis Factor; DPPH: Diphenyl-2-Picryl Hydrazyl; FRAP: Fluorescence treatments. This review aims to encompass various strategies for regulating inflammation, menopause and in cardiovascular Recovery After Photobleaching; O2: Oxygen, H2O2: Hydrogen Peroxide; SCVs: Small Colony Variants; PC: Prostate Cancer; medicinal values of Solanum alkaloids. In addition, the information TNFR: Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor; TIMP: Tissue Inhibitor of relatedemployed with for medicinal the isolation, relevance purification, of these molecules characterization leads future and Metalloproteinase; EMMPRIN: Matrix Metalloproteinase; BAECs: Bovine Aortic Endothelial Cells; HPTLC: High Performance therapeutic drugs are also discussed. Thin Layer Chromatography; HPLC: High Performance Liquid scientific exploration for the development of new and effective Chromatography; DNP: Dictionary of Natural Products; CNS: Origin of the Word Alkaloid Central Nervous System The word alkaloid was framed by Meisner et al. [2] in 1819 from alkaline refers ‘alkali-like’. Alkaloids are cyclic compounds Introduction of biological origin with nitrogen atom attached to at least two Medicinal plants usage for the treatment of diseases, injuries, carbon atoms. The nitrogen may exist as primary, secondary, tertiary or quaternary amine form. Mostly, the alkaloids are as mankind. Ethnic medicine is the sum total of knowledge and crystalline and colourless with exceptions like coniine, pilocarpine practicalinfections, application, health benefits whether and explicable disease ormanagement not, used in isdiagnosis, age old and nicotine (liquid) and berberine, colchicines (yellow) and prevention and elimination of disorders which is handed over canadine (orange). These natural organic molecules provide from generation to generation orally or in scripts. Recently, World Health Organization imitated programmes to promote and shown in Table 1 [3]. develop this indigenous medicine in health care systems and also positive response with specific reagents in qualitative analysis as to integrate this ethnic herbal medicine with modern to revitalize and strengthen the manpower [1]. The medicinal properties of documentedNarcotine isa believed pool of to bealkaloids the first alkaloidcomprising isolated approximately in 1803 [4], herbals are attributed by their rich pool of diverse phytochemicals 27,683followed types by morphine [6]. Generally, in 1806 in [5]. plants Dictionary alkaloids of Naturalprovide Products defense distributed within them. The major class of phytochemicals against pest, pathogen and herbivory. Majority of the alkaloids are weak bases, but some like theobromine and theophylline are includes the categories such as alkaloids and polyphenols. amphoteric. Solubility of alkaloids in water is poor but dissolves identified in plants with remarkable therapeutic properties Species of Solanum are widely used in health care systems and in organic solvents like diethyl ether, chloroform or petroleum represents a source for diverse phytochemicals including alkaloids. ether. Examples of water soluble alkaloids are caffeine, cocaine, Since decades, Solanum alkaloids have been a topic of interest in pharmacological and therapeutical studies because of the wide codeine and nicotine (with a solubility of ≥1g/L), while others like morphine and yohimbine are less water soluble (0.1–1g/L). Submit Manuscript | http://medcraveonline.com J Anal Pharm Res 2016, 3(6): 00075 Copyright: Solanum Alkaloids and their Pharmaceutical Roles: A Review ©2016 Jayakumar et al. 2/14 Alkaloids and acids form salts of different strengths and these benzylisoquinolines, canthinones, imidazoles, indolquinazolines, derived products are usually soluble in water and alcohol and less furoquinolines and quinazolines [7]. Further, a chemotaxonomic soluble in organic solvents except scopolamine hydrobromide and the water-soluble quinine sulphate. Majority of alkaloids have a bitter taste and are poisonous. characterizedapproach in alkaloid with heterocyclic classification nitrogenic was also available bases derived [8]. Another from aminoclassification acids orof heterocyclicalkaloids was nitrogen true, pseudo base isand not proto derived alkaloids from Table 1: amino acids or they are basic amines derived from amino acids, Qualitative identification of alkaloids.Reagent Positive Colour but nitrogen is not part of aromatic system (e.g. vanillylamid). A Test Composition Change non-heterocyclic group corresponding to whether or not nitrogen Potassium bismuth Dragendorffs Reagent Reddish-brown ismore a part practical of cyclic system ring system of classification [9]. includes a heterocyclic and iodide Potassio mercuric White or pale Heterocyclic alkaloids or typical alkaloids Mayer’s Reagent iodide yellow ppt This represents the largest group in which the nitrogen Hager’s Reagent Picric acid Yellow becomes a part of the cyclic ring system. It is further subdivided into 14 groups (Table 2). Solution of iodine in Yellow or Wagner’s Reagent potassium iodide brown ppt. Non-heterocyclic alkaloids or a typical alkaloids Murexide Test (for Potassium chlorate + Purple In the case of non-heterocyclic alkaloid division nitrogen is not Caffeine and Other Purine drops of HCl. Expose colouration a part of the ring system and is relatively less common. Alkaloid Derived Alkaloids) the resultant to NH 3 of this category includes hordenine, erythromycin, ephedrine, colchicine, jurubin, pachysandrine-A, mescaline, taxol and a few Distribution of Alkaloids others. and more among dicots than monocots) followed by gymnosperms, Biological potentials of alkaloids pteridophytesAlkaloids are and reported fungi. mostlyInterestingly from angiosperms animals and (10 microbes to 20% Alkaloids can be considered as one of the best studied class are also known to produce alkaloids. The common alkaloid of phytochemicals especially in taxonomic and pharmacological bearing families were Chenopodiaceae, Lauraceae, Magnoliaceae, Berberidaceae, Menispermaceae, Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae, confusion among and within the taxa. Meanwhile, pharmacologists Fumariaceae, Papilionaceae, Rutaceae, Apocynaceae, Loganiaceae, usefields. the Chemotaxonomists bioactive principles apply in ameliorating this in resolving simple totaxonomic complex Rubiaceae, Boraginaceae, Convolvulaceae, Solanaceae and multifaceted diseases. Many of the known alkaloids are noxious, Campanulaceae. Based on the plant species, the highest some are addictive (morphine, cocaine) while, a few have clinical concentration is noticed in the leaves (black henbane), fruits or seeds (Strychnine tree), root (Rauwolfia serpentina) or bark their source from which they were isolated. (cinchona). However, different cells of the same taxa may possess applications [6,10]. Table 3 narrates the bioactive alkaloids and diverse alkaloids. The nitrogen containing molecules of plant origin have served as scaffold in designing of cough suppressant drugs or drugs used for more chronic disorders such as Parkinson’s and cancer Classification (Table 4). Unfortunately, the total number of alkaloids that were Alkaloids are large class of nitrogen containing compounds differ in terms of structure, synthesis and biological activity. total alkaloids in the Dictionary of Natural Products (DNP) list. marketed as prescribed drugs accounts to less than 0.002% of the introduced drugs in the global pharmaceutical armamentarium Therefore different classifications are available in alkaloids based [6].In the last 20-25 years, galanthamine and taxol were the newly ona. someBiosynthetic criteria. Generally,pathway alkaloidsbased on are the