The Calabar Bean and its Alkaloids: From Magic, via Miracle, to Memory

Robinson, Brian

Investigations into Calabar beans (the dried ripe seeds of Physostigma venenosum) and their alkaloidal components compose a classical scientific journey throughout some one-and-a-half centuries and not only represent a fascinating aspect of the history of medicine but which is, moreover, still ongoing at the forefront of chemical and medical discovery. Those in particular involving its major such component, l-physostigmine, have led to an understanding of some of the fundamental mechanisms occurring in physiology, pharmacology and biochemistry and, either actually or potentially (by providing a template and thereby acting as a “lead compound”) have provided a useful treatment for a variety of neurological disorders associated with irregularities in cholinergic transmission in which augmentation of cholinergic activity has proved to be beneficial.

Details

Published by: Springer

Publication Date: 2023-03-25

Format: Hardcover

ISBN-13: 9789402411904

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-024-1191-1

Dimensions: 235.0cm x155.0cm

Pages: 267.0