L-Scopolamine

The oldest drugs of this group are different galena drugs isolated from belladonna (Atropa belladonna), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), and stramonium (Datura stramonium). They are all obtained from plants that contain the L-hiocyamine and a somewhat lesser qnantity of L-scopolamine. As a mnscarinic receptor blocker, L-hioscyamine is mnch more active that D-hioscyamine on both the periphery as well as on the CNS however, a racemic mixture of D,L-hioscyamine— known better as atropine—is preferred in the majority of medical cases because it is readily available. 

Likewise, the overexpression of H. niger h6h gene was carried out in Duboisia hybrid D. myoporoides x D. leichhardtii) hairy roots and regenerated plants derived from them. In this study, the best hairy root line produced 74.50 mg/L scopolamine, a 3-fold increment compared to wild-type lines, which paralleled the increase in h6h transcript levels, which confirmed the direct relationship between the expression level of h6h and scopolamine contents. Regarding the regenerated plants, there was no a clear scopolamine increase when compared to controls [173]. 

The best alkaloid productivity (30 mg/1 scopolamine and 14 mg/1 hyoscyamine) was obtained in MS medium after 5 weeks of culture. In our previous study on production of tropane alkaloids by adventitious root cultures of the same Duboisia hybrid, 13mg/l scopolamine and 1.7 mg/1 hyoscyamine were obtained in MS medium with 0.5 mg/1 lAA after 5 weeks of culture [67, 68] (section 2.3.6). The A. rhizogenes transformation enhanced the tropane alkaloid productivity over twice the amount of scopolamine and 8 times of hyoscyamine when compared with the adventitious roots. 

STRAMONIUM LEAF, Stramonii folium is the dried leaf of Datura stramonium X., family Solanaceae, with violet flowers and spiny capsule. Originally from Central America it is now spread globally in warm regions. The alkaloid content is 0.2-0.6%, with L-hyoscyamine and L-scopolamine found in the ratio 2 1 in mature plants. 

Reciprocal graftings using alkaloid-abundant and alkaloid-free Solanaceae, e.g.. Datura and Lycopersicon have shown that the major portion of the tropane alkaloids is synthesized in the roots, but accumulates in the shoot, and that the alkaloids may undergo structural transformation during transport. In Datura ferrox for instance, the enzymes converting L-hyoscyamine to L-scopolamine are located in the stem tissue through which L-hyoscyamine formed in the roots passes to the leaves, where it accumulates together with the L-scopolamine built. 

Tropane alkaloids, e.g., L-hyoscyamine and L-scopolamine are toxic to most animals (see above) and therefore are of ecological significance in repelling poten-... 

L-Scopolamine and probably other tropane alkaloids (D 17.2) Hallucinogens, if used in high doses. Main constituents of the medieval witch beverages and ointments produced from Solanaceae (e.g., Hyoscyamus, Datura and Atropa sp.)... 

Leaves and roots contain tropane alkaloids (0.3-0.5%) that are composed mainly of /-hyoscyamine (95-98%) and traces of l-scopolamine (hyoscine) and atropine (dl-hy-oscyamine) their concentration and proportions vary greatly with age of the plant. On extraction most of the /-hyoscyamine is race-mized to atropine. Other alkaloids isolated... 

---