Alkamides producing

The purple coneflower Echinacea purpura, and its close relatives, E. angustifolia and E. pallida, are the source of the herb Echinacea, which is widely popular as a nonspecific immune stimulant. These perennials are native to the prairies of North America and are now widely grown garden ornamentals. The root and aerial parts of the plant are the portions used, and the preparation s potency can be verified by the transient tingling sensation produced when it is tasted. Echinacea contains alkamides, caffeic acid esters (echinacoside, cichoric acid, caftaric acid), polysaccharides (heteroxylan), and an essential oil. Some echinacea products are standardized for their echinacoside content. In the past, adulteration with American feverfew (Parthenium integri-folium) was common. Echinacea is now sold either by itself or in combination with golden seal or zinc for the treatment of colds and influenza. 

Isobutylamides are a subclass of alkamides based on the amine group 2-methylpropyl. They first aroused the interest of researchers for their insecticidal activities, being toxic to numerous classes of insects including the ubiquitous housefly and mosquito. Upon further investigation, it was obvious the most active insecticidal compounds were the ones that produced the most potent sialagogue (stimulating saliva flow) effects in humans (Brinker 1991/92). Isobutylamides so far investigated are derived from four plant families—Asteracea, Rutaceae, Piperaceae and Aristolochiaceae (see Table 8.3). 

Alkamides are known to be subject to degradation over time. Studies on Echinacea purpurea alkamides showed that, while drying had no effect, most of the compounds were lost after the dried roots had been stored for a little over a year (Perry and van Klink 2000). Loss of alkamides was rather less when the roots were stored at subzero temperatures. Preservation in ethanolic tincture form is an effective method of retaining these compounds. Chopping the root produces only minimal losses. 

Eleven alkamides have beeen identified in Echinacea purpurea roots [24, 77]. In contrast to . angustifolia, most of these alkamides possess a 2,4-diene moiety. Bohlmann and Grenz [24] isolated a mixture of two dodeca-2,4,8,10-tetra-enoic acid-isobutylamides, whose stereochemistry was not determined, as well as undeca-2Z,4 -dein-8,10-diynoic acid-isobutylamide and dodeca-2Z,4 -dien-8,10-diynoic acid-isobutylamide. Bauer et al. [77] found a series of alkamides which were identified as the isobutylamides of undeca-2 ,4Z-dien-8,10-diynoic acid, dodeca-2 ,4Z-dien-8,10-diynoic acid, dodeca-2 ,4 ,10 -trien-8-ynoic acid and dodeca-2 ,4 ,8Z-trienoic acid, as well as the 2 -methyl-butylamide of dodeca-2 ,4Z-di-en-8,10-diynoic acid. The main compounds, already isolated by Bohlmann and Grenz [24], were shown to be the isomeric mixture of dodeca-2 ,4 ,8Z,10 /Z-tetraenoic acid isobutylamides. A further compound, undeca-2 ,4Z-dien-8,10-diynoic acid-2 -methyl-butylamide had already been described as a constituent of Acmella ciliata [78]. Alkamides could also be produced in transformed callus and... 

Detergent base for applications similar to ALKAMIDE 2110 but will produce lower foam levels. 

Four genuses from the Rutaceae family produce alkamides Evodia, Pleiospermium, Zanthoxylum, and Glycosmis, the latter two being the most productive. More than 50 aliphatic [24,25] and aromatic [5,26] alkamides have been isolated from Zanthoxylum genus, which are responsible for its... 

Alkamides that are used as spice and to produce anesthetic effects have also been isolated from other species. These alkamides have been isolated from Ottonia propinqua [231,232], O. frutescens [233], and Matricaria pubescens [234]. 

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