Taxus alkaloids pharmacology

Blechert S, Gudnard D (1990) Taxus alkaloids. In Brossi A (ed) The alkaloids, vol 39, Chemistry and pharmacology. Academic, San Diego... 

Ephedrine also oeeurs in the leaves of the yew tree [Taxus baccata) and in Sida rhombifolia Linn, whilst Stockman s cathine from Catha edulis Forsk has been shown by Wolfes to be d-nor- -ephedrine. Ghosh, Chopra and Dutt state that the bark of Moringa pterygosperma Gaertn. contains two alkaloids similar to ephedrine in pharmacological action. The more active of the two, moringinine, is amorphous the other is a liquid but jdelds a crystalline hydrochloride, C,H. HCl, m.p. 254-4°, + 1-8°, a picrate, m.p. 195°, and an aurichloride, m.p. 170-8°. 

Chapter 2 by Giovanni Appendino provides a fascinating treatment of Taxine, a collective name referring to a mixture of diterpenoid alkaloids from the yew tree (genus Taxus). Taxine is responsible for the toxic properties of the yew tree that has been documented in historical and fictional literature, from Julius Caesar to Shakespeare, and from Agatha Christie to T. S. Eliot. The chapter treats the history, isolation techniques, structure elucidation, chemistry, and pharmacology of Taxine. 

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