Coptisine
Encyclopedia
Coptisine is an alkaloid
found in Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis
). Famous for the bitter taste that it produces, it is used in Chinese herbal medicine along with the related compound berberine
for treating digestive disorders caused by bacterial infections.
Also found in Greater Celandine and has also been detected in Opium
.
Coptisine has been found to reversibly inhibit Monoamine oxidase A
in mice, pointing to a potential role as a natural antidepressant. However, this may also imply a hazard for those taking other medications or with a natural functional disorder in Monoamine oxidase A.
Coptisine was found to be toxic to larval brine shrimp
and a variety of human cell lines, potentially implying a therapeutic effect on cancer or alternatively a generally toxic character. The same authors illustrate a four-step process to produce Coptisine from Berberine
.
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
found in Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis
Coptis chinensis
The Chinese goldthread is a species of goldthread native to China.-Etymology:*Coptis chinensis Franch. var. chinensis**The Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis) is a species of goldthread native to China.-Etymology:*Coptis chinensis Franch. var. chinensis**The Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis)...
). Famous for the bitter taste that it produces, it is used in Chinese herbal medicine along with the related compound berberine
Berberine
Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis Berberine is a quaternary...
for treating digestive disorders caused by bacterial infections.
Also found in Greater Celandine and has also been detected in Opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
.
Coptisine has been found to reversibly inhibit Monoamine oxidase A
Monoamine Oxidase A
Monoamine oxidase A, also known as MAO-A, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MAO-A gene. Monoamine oxidase A is an isozyme of monoamine oxidase. It preferentially deaminates norepinephrine , epinephrine , serotonin, and dopamine...
in mice, pointing to a potential role as a natural antidepressant. However, this may also imply a hazard for those taking other medications or with a natural functional disorder in Monoamine oxidase A.
Coptisine was found to be toxic to larval brine shrimp
Brine shrimp
Artemia is a genus of aquatic crustaceans known as brine shrimp. Artemia, the only genus in the family Artemiidae, has changed little externally since the Triassic period...
and a variety of human cell lines, potentially implying a therapeutic effect on cancer or alternatively a generally toxic character. The same authors illustrate a four-step process to produce Coptisine from Berberine
Berberine
Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the protoberberine group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis Berberine is a quaternary...
.