Morphine alkaloids metabolism

Dibenz[h,e]azepine-6,11-diones ent-Morphinan nomenclature, 1, 29 Morphinan, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-nomenclature, 1, 29 14-a-Morphinan, N-methyl-synthesis, 1, 480 Morphinans nomenclature, 1, 29 as pharmaceuticals, 1, 148 synthesis, 2, 377 Morphine, 2, 512 as analgesic, 1, 167 as metabolite of normorphine, 1, 235 as pharmaceutical, 1, 146, 147, 148 synthesis, 1, 480 Morphine alkaloids structure, 4, 534 Morphin-7-en nomenclature, 1, 29 Morphinone, dihydro-as pharmaceutical, 1, 147 Morpholine — see also 1,4-Oxazine, tetrahydrocarcinogenicity, 1, 229 corrosion inhibitor, 1, 409 metabolism, 1, 226 nomenclature, 3, 996 structure, 2, 5 synthesis, 2, 89 Morpholine, 4-aciyloyl-polymers, 1, 291 Morpholine, alkenyl-polymers, 1, 291... 

Salutaridinol 7-0-acetyltransferase catalyzes the conversion of the phenanthrene alkaloid salutaridinol to salutaridinol-7-Oacetate, the immediate precursor of thebaine along the morphine biosynthetic pathway in P. somniferum (Fig. 10.7).26 Acetyl CoA-dependent acetyltransferases have an important role in plant alkaloid metabolism. They are involved in the synthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids in medicinal plant species such as Rauwolfia serpentina. In this plant, the enzyme vinorine synthase transfers an acetyl group from acetyl CoA to 16-epi-vellosimine to form vinorine. This acetyl transfer is accompanied by a concomitant skeletal rearrangement from the sarpagan- to the ajmalan-type (reviewed in2). An acetyl CoA-dependent acetyltransferase also participates in vindoline biosynthesis in Catharanthus roseus, the source of the chemotherapeutic dimeric indole alkaloid vinblastine (reviewed in2). Acetyl CoA deacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase catalyzes the last step in vindoline biosynthesis. A cDNA encoding acetyl CoA deacetylvindoline 4-0-acetyltransferase was recently successfully isolated.27... 

Oripavine 3-ethyl ether (38), an unnatural analogue of thebaine (35), was found to be metabolized to morphine 3-ethyl ether and to morphine (36). The efficiency of the conversion was comparable to that of natural biosynthesis. (For an examination of other unnatural compounds as substrates for the enzymes of the biosynthesis of morphine alkaloids, see Vol. 4, p. 15.)... 

Alkaloid biosynthetic pathways are under strict regulation in plants. Until now, our limited knowledge of the fundamental mechanisms involved in the control of alkaloid metabolism has severely restricted our ability to harness the vast biotechnological potential of these important secondary pathways. For example, the use of plant cell cultures for the commercial production of pharmaceutical alkaloids has not become a reality despite decades of empirical research. The application of traditional and modem biochemical, molecular, and cellular techniques has revealed important clues about the reasons why C. rosens cultures accumulate tabersonine and catharanthine, but not vindoline or vinblastine, and why opium poppy cultures produce sanguinarine, but not codeine or morphine. The inability of dedifferentiated cells to accumulate certain metabolites was interpreted as evidence that the operation of many alkaloid pathways is tightly coupled to the development of specific tissues. Recent studies have shown that alkaloid pathways are regulated at multiple levels,... 

When morphine was fed to the stem below the developing capsules, 8% of the morphine was metabolized in a few days. Diurnal changes in the content of alkaloids in Papaver somniferum occur (Waller and Nowacki, 1978). The half-life of morphine in several species of poppies is 7.5 h. 

Alkaloids are mainly plant-derived compounds that have been used as drugs such as morphine. Alkaloids are produced by simple extraction from plants. Studies show that alkaloids can be synthesized from amino acids by metabolic engineering in E. colt and S. cerevisiae. 

Bmce, N.C., Wilmot, C.J., Jordan, K.N., Trebilcock, A.E., Gray Stephens, L.D., and Lowe, C.R. (1990) Microbial degradation of the morphine alkaloids identification of morphinone as an intermediate in the metabolism of morphine by Pseudomonas putida MIO. Arch. Microbiol., 154, 465-470. 

Tyrosine is also the metabolic precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine and the catecholamine hormones norepinephrine (noradrenaline) and epinephrine (adrenaline), as well as to the alkaloids in opium, including morphine. 

Alkaloids such as boldine, codeine, narceine and morphine are active factors in their receptors. Boldine has morphine-like properties and is active on opioid receptors. It may be used to treat stomach disorders and as metabolic stimulant. As it is similar to morphine, boldine can also be considered in the possible development of treatments for narcotic dependence. Codeine also binds to opiate receptors, and specifically functions to reduce bronchial secretions. Codeine can also be used as a cough suppressant when acting on the centre of the medulla oblongata and as a sedative agent. 

The most important other opium alkaloid is codeine. In contrast to morphine, codeine has a high oral-parenteral potency ratio due to less first-pass metabolism. Codeine is considered a prodrug, since it is metabolised in vivo to the primary active compounds morphine and codeine-6-glucuronide. Approximately 10% is demethylated to morphine. The analgesic effect of codeine is due to the formation of these metabolites as codeine itself has a very low affinity for opioid receptors. The half-life of codeine in plasma is 2 hours. 

Overall, however, the immensity of temperate land corresponds to a most various secondary metabolic production, different from that of tropical land. The most renowned alkaloids belong to the morphine class (Chart 6.2.A1), and, in combination with isoprenoids, to the ergot and triterpene classes (Chart 6.2. A2). Prominent in the peptides are the cyclosporins (the first of which was isolated from a fiingus collected in Norway), streptogramins, and P-lactams (Chart 6.2.P). The isoprenoids are represented by pyrethrin monoterpenes, cedrane sesquiterpenes, ginkgolide and taxane diterpenes, ophiobolane sesterterpenes, and arborane and amyrin-like triterpenes (Chart 6.2.1). In the polyketides, epothilones, recently discovered from Myxobacteria, and the long known rapamycin, are two prominent classes of macrolides (Chart 6.2.FA/PO/C). 

Ethanol. As with morphine addiction, tolerance to alcohol is developed, and a lack of ethanol produces withdrawal symptoms. Tire principal route of metabolism of ethanol (both ingested and the small amount of endogenous alcohol) is believed to be oxidation in the liver to the chemically reactive acetaldehyde (p. 774),874/875 which is further oxidized to acetate. Some theories of alcoholism assume that addiction, and possibly also the euphoric feeling experienced by some drinkers, results from a metabolite of ethanol in the brain. For example, acetaldehyde could form alkaloids (Eq. 30-5).876... 

The isolation of the cDNAs encoding the enzymes involved in diverse isoquinoline alkaloid formation in plants and microorganisms allowed the first metabolic engineering routes to be developed and paved the way for new ways of future production of isoquinoline alkaloids. For instance, transgenic opium poppy plants were created in which codeinone reductase was suppressed by RNAi, resulting in the substitution of morphine synthesis with the non-narcotic precursor reticuline [110]. In a similar approach, RNAi suppression or overexpression of salutaridinol 1-0-acetyltransferase in opium poppy led to accumulation of salutaridine or increase of morphine, codeine and thebaine content [111], suppression of the BBE led to accumulation of berberine in California poppy cells [112],... 

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