Lycopodium alkaloids

Common flat bear moss ( Lycopodium complanatum )

Moss snake ( Lycopodium annotinum )

Lycopodium alkaloids are natural products of the quinolizidine alkaloid type.

Occurrence

Lycopodium alkaloids occur in the bear moss family . The (-) - lycopodine occurs in the common flat bear moss and the annotinin in the snake bear moss .

Representative

About 90 Lycopodium alkaloids are known to date. The alkaloids of this group are divided into three structural types according to the number of carbon and nitrogen atoms in their basic structure:

• The C ₁₆ N type describes about 60 alkaloids, u. a. Lycopodine as well as Annotinine and Fawcettimin

• 

  (-) - lycopodine

• The C ₁₆ N ₂ type describes the lycodine group (approx. 20 structures), u. a. Lycodine and Cernuin .

• 

  (-) - lycodine

• The C ₂₇ N ₃ type describes only a few alkaloids, u. a. Lucidin B .

• 

  Lucidin B

properties

The Lycopodium alkaloids are considered to be moderately toxic. Some Lycopodium alkaloids are said to be potent inhibitors of acetylcholine esterase. Huperzine A has a stimulating effect on learning and memory in animals. In Chinese folk medicine, various types of Lycopodium are used to treat skin diseases and as tonics.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Entry on Lycopodium alkaloids. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on May 5, 2020.
2. ↑ E. Breitmaier: Alkaloids . Springer Fachmedien, Wiesbaden 1997, ISBN 978-3-519-03542-8 , pp. 47 .