Akuammine Explained

Akuammine (vincamajoridine^[1]) is an indole alkaloid. It is the most abundant alkaloid found in the seeds from the tree Picralima nitida,^[2] commonly known as akuamma, comprising 0.56% of the dried powder. It has also been isolated from Vinca major.^[1] Akuammine is structurally related to yohimbine, mitragynine and more distantly Voacangine, all of which are alkaloid plant products with pharmacological properties.

Pharmacology

Akuammine has antimalarial activity,^[2] and may be the primary constituent of P. nitida seeds responsible for this activity.^[3]

Akuammine is an opioid agonist with low affinity, selective for the mu-opioid receptor, when tested in vitro.^{[4] [5]}

Notes and References

1. Janot MM, Le Men J, Aghoramurthy K, Robinson R . The identity of vincamajoridine and akuammine . Experientia . 11 . 9 . 343 . September 1955 . 13262018 . 10.1007/BF02159911 . free .
2. Kapadia GJ, Angerhofer CK, Ansa-Asamoah R . Akuammine: an antimalarial indolemonoterpene alkaloid of Picralima nitida seeds . Planta Medica . 59 . 6 . 565–6 . December 1993 . 8302957 . 10.1055/s-2006-959764 . 260253044 .
3. Book: African Ethnobotany: Poisons and Drugs : Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology . Neuwinger HD . CRC Press . 1996. 9783826100772 . 123.
4. Menzies JR, Paterson SJ, Duwiejua M, Corbett AD . Opioid activity of alkaloids extracted from Picralima nitida (fam. Apocynaceae) . European Journal of Pharmacology . 350 . 1 . 101–8 . May 1998 . 9683021 . 10.1016/s0014-2999(98)00232-5 .
5. Lewin G, Le Ménez P, Rolland Y, Renouard A, Giesen-Crouse E . Akuammine and dihydroakuammine, two indolomonoterpene alkaloids displaying affinity for opioid receptors . Journal of Natural Products . 55 . 3 . 380–4 . March 1992 . 1317407 . 10.1021/np50081a017 .