PHARMACOLOGIC ACTION OF ERYTHRINA ALKALOIDS II. FREE, LIBERATED AND COMBINED ALKALOIDS

¹ From the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, Rahway, New Jersey

1. The following 9 alkaloids isolated from seeds of species of the genus Erythrina: erythramine, erythraline and erythratine (free alkaloids), erysopine, erysovine, erysodine and erysonine (liberated alkaloids), and erysothiopine and erysothiovine (combined alkaloids) produce typical curare-like action.

2. The potency of these alkaloids and of some derivatives has been determined on frogs; the greatest activity was found with the combined alkaloids.

3. The combined and the liberated alkaloids have a more persistent action than the free alkaloids.

4. The order of toxicity of various alkaloids in mice following oral and subcutaneous administration followed, in general, that of their potency in frogs.

5. Intravenous injections especially of the liberated and combined alkaloids depressed the blood pressure and lowered the heart rate to a greater extent than did -erythroidine.

6. Atropine failed to influence the bradycardia in cats and dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital.

7. In contrast to the findings with -erythroidine and dihydro--erythroidine, hydrogenated derivatives of erythramine, erythratine, erysopine and erysodine are less active than the parent alkaloids.

8. The quaternary metho-salts of erythramine, erythraline and erythratine are, like that of -erythroidine, less active than the tertiary bases.

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