Pericine is one of a number of

indole Indole is an aromatic heterocyclic organic compound with the formula C8 H7 N. It has a bicyclic structure, consisting of a six-membered benzene ring fused to a five-membered pyrrole ring. Indole is widely distributed in the natural environmen ...

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

s found in the tree ''

Picralima nitida ''Picralima'' is a plant genus in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1896. It contains only one known species, ''Picralima nitida'', native to tropical Africa (Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Gabon, Cameroon, Cabinda, Cent ...

'', commonly known as akuamma. As with some other alkaloids from this plant such as

akuammine Akuammine (vincamajoridine) is an indole alkaloid. It is the most abundant alkaloid found in the seeds from the tree ''Picralima nitida'', commonly known as akuamma, comprising 0.56% of the dried powder. It has also been isolated from ''Vinca ma ...

, pericine has been shown to bind to mu opioid receptors ''

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in biology an ...

'', and has an IC₅₀ of 0.6 μmol, within the range of a weak

analgesic An analgesic drug, also called simply an analgesic (American English), analgaesic (British English), pain reliever, or painkiller, is any member of the group of drugs used to achieve relief from pain (that is, analgesia or pain management). It ...

. It may also have

convulsant A convulsant is a drug which induces convulsions and/or epileptic seizures, the opposite of an anticonvulsant. These drugs generally act as stimulants at low doses, but are not used for this purpose due to the risk of convulsions and consequent exc ...

effects. Pericine has been prepared in the laboratory by

total synthesis Total synthesis is the complete chemical synthesis of a complex molecule, often a natural product, from simple, commercially-available precursors. It usually refers to a process not involving the aid of biological processes, which distinguishes ...

References

Opioids Indole alkaloids Alkaloids found in Apocynaceae Bridged heterocyclic compounds Mu-opioid receptor agonists Azocines {{alkaloid-stub

See also

References