Astringency alkaloid

Nuts have many uses, both industrial and domestic. For instance, the ivory nut, or tagua, is a source material for the manufacture of buttons and turnery articles. The kola nut supplies ingredients for popular cola beverages in the United States (see Carbonated beverages). StTychnos nux-vomica provides the important medicine and poison, strychnine. The areca or betel nut is chewed by the Indian and Malayan people as a narcotic a slice of the nut is placed in a leaf of the pepper plant Piper betle) together with a pinch of lime the mixture is an acrid, astringent narcotic that dyes the mouth red, blackens and destroys the teeth. The areca nut contains, among other alkaloids, arecoline, an active anthelminthic widely used in veterinary practice for the treatment of tapeworm infections. 

Schumanniophyton magnificum has been the source of most of the alkaloids so far isolated. It has several interesting uses in traditional medicine. In Cameroon the bark is used for dysentery as an enema (70). The phenolic compounds present may exert an astringent effect to account for this. In Nigeria the stem juice is used as a treatment for snakebite and the roots are used to treat madness. 

Caesalpinia pulcherrima Swartz Huang Wu Tien (Sappan wood) (flower, leaf, seed) Alkaloid, gallic acid, resins, tannins.60 This herb is toxic. Febrifuge, stomachic, diuretic, astringent, anticholeric. 

Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacquin Che Sang Zi (leaf, bark) Alkaloid, glucoside, tannins, resins.60 Remedy for fever, astringent to treat eczema. 

Eclipta alba Hassk. E. marginata Boiss. E. prostrata (L.) L. E. thermalis Bunge. Fang Kui (Pink plant) (aerial part) Alkaloids, nicotine, ecliptine.60 Leaves heated or crushed in oil are applied to keep the hair black and to encourage its growth. Astringent, hemostatic, tonic. 

Flagellaria indica L. India Bian Teng (leaf, fruit) Alkaloidal substances, cyanogetic glycosides, emilsin-like enzyme.60 Astringent, vulnerary, diuretic, treat pox. 

N.A. Mucilage, sterols, pigments, inulin, gallic, malic, tartaric acids, tannins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids.99100 Expectorant, demulcent, astringent, antiinflammatory. 

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) Uses Topical treatment of wounds, bruises, sprains, inflammation Action Multiple chemical components, allantoin promotes cell division, rosmarinic acid has anti-inflammatory effects, tannin possesses astringent effects, mucilage is a demulcent w/ anti-inflammatory properties, pyrrolizidine alkaloids cause hepatotox Available forms Topical application w/ 5—20% of herb applied on intact skin for up to 10 d Contra Do not take orally d/t hepatotox, do not use if PRG or w/ lactation Notes/SE N/V, exfoliative dermatitis w/ topical use Interactions T Risk of hepatotox W/ ingestion of borage, golden ragwort, hemp, Petasites EMS None... 

Many Erythrina alkaloids possess curare-like action. Alkaloidal extracts from different parts of Erythrina species have been used in indigenous medicine, particularly in India (176). Many pharmacological effects, including astringent, sedative, hypotensive, neuromuscular blocking, CNS depressant, laxative, and diuretic properties, have been recorded for total alkaloid extracts, although not all these properties can be associated with the ery-thrinane structure alone (38, 177, 178). 

QnmoTANNic Acm, a tannin existing in cinchona barks, probably in combination with the alkaloids. It is a light yellow substance soluble in water, alcohol, and ether its taste is astringent, but not bitter. Dilute H. SO decomposes it at a boiling temperatim, into glucose and a red substance —quinova red ... 

MERCURIC BICHLORIDE (7487-94-7) HgClj Contact with acids or acid fumes evolves chloride and mercury vapors. Possible violent reaction with chlorine nitrate, sodium acetylide. Incompatible with albumin, alkalis, alkaloid salts, anhydrous ammonia, antimony, arsenic, borax, bromides, carbonates, chloric acid, copper, formates, gelatin, hydrozoic acid, infusions of cinchona, iron, lead and silver salts, lime water, light metals, methyl isocyanoacetate, oak bark or senna, phosphates, potassium, reduced iron, sodiiun, sodium peroxyborate, sulfides, sulfites, tannic acids, trinitrobenzoic acid, urea nitrate, vegetable astringents. Decomposed by sunlight. On small fires, use water spray, fog, foam, dry chemical powder, or CO2 extinguishers. 

In terms of the flavor potential of this class of compounds, very little is known. A minor tobacco alkaloid, 2,3 -bipyri-dine, has been reported (17B19) to exhibit a sensitizing effect on tobacco flavor and to snppress astringency (3215, 17B52). 

Meconic acid—C6HOa(OH)(COOH)a — is peculiar to opium, in which it exists in combination with a part, at least, of the alkaloids. It crystallizes in small prismatic needles acid and astringent in taste loses its Aq at 120° (248° P.) quite soluble in water soluble in alcohol sparingly soluble in ether. 

Recent progress in the characterization of numerous tannins has enabled the investigation of the biological activities of these compounds on the basis of structural differences in a way similar to that used for die other types of natural organic compounds such as alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids. Besides astringency, a fundamental property of tannins, based on strong affinity to biopolymers such as proteins and polysaccharides, various biological and pharmaceutical activities beneficial to human healdi, have been found. 

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