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Alkaloids Derived from Tyrosine: Modified Benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline Alkaloids

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Natural Products

Abstract

Secondary metabolites are produced by plants in response to biotic or abiotic interactions with their environment and confer protection through a variety of antimicrobial, pesticidal, and pharmacological properties. Alkaloids are a class of plant secondary metabolites that traditionally have been classified as basic compounds derived from amino acids that contain one or more heterocyclic nitrogen atom. About 20 % of plant species accumulate alkaloids, which are mostly derived from amino acids, e.g., phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, and lysine. The alkaloids are popular for their medicinal importance. The pharmaceutically important representatives of secondary metabolites are mostly alkaloids derived from tyrosine. In this chapter, we summarized the prior information, basic knowledge about the alkaloids, origin, physicochemical properties, uses, classification, biosynthetic reactions, and distribution of tyrosine-derived alkaloids especially opium alkaloids and their biosynthetic pathways in plants. We have also reviewed different web resources related to alkaloids and secondary metabolic pathway databases such as KEGG.

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Abbreviations

BIA:

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids

CNMT:

(S)-coclaurine-N-methyltransferase

Cor:

Codeinone reductase

CYP:

Cytochrome P

DOPA:

Dihydroxy phenylalanine

KEGG:

Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes

M6G:

Morphine-6-glucuronide

NCS:

(S)-norcoclaurine synthase

OMT:

(R,S)-reticuline 7-O-methyltransferase

SalR:

Salutaridine reductase

SDR:

Short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase

tyrDC:

Tyrosine decarboxylase

UGT2B7:

UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase-2B7

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metabolic and Structural Biology Department, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, P. O. -CIMAP, Kukrail Picnic Spot Road, Lucknow, UP, 226015, India

    Dr. Feroz Khan & Tabish Qidwai

  2. Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, India

    Rakesh K. Shukla & Vikrant Gupta

Authors
  1. Dr. Feroz Khan
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  2. Tabish Qidwai
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  3. Rakesh K. Shukla
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  4. Vikrant Gupta
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Feroz Khan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Botany Department, M.L. Sukhadia University, Durga Nursery Road, Udaipur, 313001, Rajasthan, India

    Kishan Gopal Ramawat

  2. Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences, Biological-Active Plant Substances Study, University of Bordeaux, 210 Chemin de Leysotte CS 50008, Villenave d'Ornon, 33882, France

    Jean-Michel Mérillon

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Khan, F., Qidwai, T., Shukla, R.K., Gupta, V. (2013). Alkaloids Derived from Tyrosine: Modified Benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline Alkaloids. In: Ramawat, K., Mérillon, JM. (eds) Natural Products. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-22144-6_15

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