Toxiferine

• Toxiferine -I
• C- toxiferine -I

• [ C40H46N4O2 ] 2
• C40H46N4O2Cl2 ( dichloride )

Muscle relaxant

N- acetylcholine receptor antagonist

• 0.023 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, mouse, i.v.)
• 2.5 mg · kg -1 ( LD50, rat, oral)

Template: Infobox chemical / molecular formula search available

Toxiferine (actually: C- toxiferine I - the "C" stands for " calabash " ) is an alkaloid and is one of the curare arrow poisons. Chemically counts the substance to the bis-indole derivatives.

History and production

The name toxiferine was the material given in 1938 by the German chemist Wieland and Pistor, who won it from Strychnos toxifera. The two also described a very accurate detection method for the alkaloid. Evaporation of aqueous extracts of ingredients (mostly bark and stems ) of the Strychnos species S. castalnei, S. and S. crevauxii toxifera win the Indians of Peru and Brazil, the poison dart, whose main component is the toxiferine.

Properties and Uses

Toxiferine is one of the most effective plant-based poisons. It acts as a nicotine antagonist at the muscle endplate, where there are receptors for acetylcholine, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, blocked, and therefore provides a non- depolarizing muscle relaxant dar. This means that small amounts of the substance already paralyze the muscles. In higher doses toxiferine is deadly because of the paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

The allyl derivative of Toxiferins alcuronium is used as a drug.