Alkaloids production prices

Prices, Sources, and Product Yields by Means of Alternative Biotechological Methods of Some Commonly Used Alkaloids... 

Alkaloid Plant source Price (DM/gram) Production by cell cultures Source Yield ... 

Although the price of nicotine is very low, extensive studies have been made on the production of this alkaloid in cell cultures. Some patents have been filed (Table XI). Studies on the production of nicotine (1) and related alkaloids (2-4) in cell cultures are summarized in Table XII. 

None of the precursors in the biosynthesis of quinoline alkaloids is available at a price lower than the alkaloids thus, bioconversion is not of interest, except for one step. This step would be the stereospecific conversion of quinidinone (obtained by oxidation of quinine or quinidine) to quinidine (8/ ,95) or quinine (85,97 ). This reaction offers the possibility of converting an excess of one of the naturally occurring stereoisomers to the other. It is now performed chemically as the demand for quinidine is higher than production from plant extracts. 

Bioconversion of Cinchona alkaloids is relatively less explored as compared to other natural products. The reason for this is the fact that none of the Cinchona alkaloid precursors are available at lower prices than the final alkaloids. The only exception is tryptophan however, it has no straightforward influence on the increasing production of alkaloids in cell cultures [267, 268]. 

There are only a few steps necessary to transform a product of intermediary metabolism into an alkaloid, and, therefore, the same product can be metabolized independently in unrelated taxa. In some rare cases, such as in the Rutaceae, plants produce as many as six different types of alkaloids (Price, 1963) (see Figure 1.6). This can be rationalized with a model similar to that used for explaining the origin of the single type of alkaloids. The assumption is made that in a certain species of different populations two independent mutations occurred and that both were favorable (Figure 1.23). The mutants took over the population, and, when the... 

Morphinan alkaloids are an industrial commodity of plant origin. The market share of pharmaceuticals containing morphinans, predominantly codeine, is about 2.5% (Canada). The supply appears to be adequate, the price comparatively moderate. Restrictions, however, in the harvest and in the movement of raw and refined products due to socio-political implications has kindled interest in producing morphinan alkaloids by culturing poppy cells in vitro. The feasibility of developing such a process for industry would require fair accumulation of alkaloids in cells or their medium. 

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