Biological Properties of Cryptenamine, A New Veratrum viride Alkaloid Preparation

Abstract

By means of new non-aqueous extraction methods, new alkaloids were isolated from Veratrum viride which consist of ester alkaloids of bases previously reported as being present as alkamines. The most interesting feature of these ester alkaloids is not that they are new, but rather that, although most alkaloids such as protoveratrine induce vomiting in dogs at a dose which will produce approx. a 50% reduction in blood pressure, the new alkaloids require 4 times the 50% blood pressure reduction dose before inducing mild vomiting. This means that it is possible to separate side effects from the desired effects. These alkaloids also appear to be less toxic relative to their effective hypotensive doses. This alkaloid prepn. was given the generic name cryptenamine (trade name Unitensen). The biological test methods used and results obtained are reported.