Indole alkaloid

CAS NO.：642-18-2
Empirical Formula: C21H20N2O3
Molecular Weight: 348.4
MDL number: MFCD00083501
Update Date: 2025-08-20 12:06:42

What is Indole alkaloid?

Definition

ChEBI: Alstonine is an indole alkaloid with formula C21H20N2O3, isolated from several Rauvolfia species and exhibits antipsychotic activity. It has a role as an antipsychotic agent. It is a methyl ester, an organic heteropentacyclic compound, a zwitterion and an indole alkaloid. It is a conjugate base of an alstonine(1+).

Biological Activity

Alstonine is the main indole alkaloid compound of a botanical drug. Alstonine has antipsychotic, anxiolytic, anticancer and antimalarial properties.

in vitro

Alstonine has the capacity to distinguish cancer DNA from healthy tissue DNA; it inhibits DNA in vitro synthesis when DNA from different cancerous tissues or cells is used as template. Practically without effects on DNA from healthy tissues.

in vivo

In mice models Alstonine shows a clear, dose-dependent, potent antipsychotic profile. Alstonine (ip) prevents amphetamine-induced lethality, with active doses within the range of 0.5-2.0 mg/kg.
Alstonine (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) prevents MK-801 induced hyperlocomotion. Because Alstonine partially reverses MK-801-induced increase in locomotion both at the hole-board and locomotor activity cages.
Alstonine successfully treats a relatively important proportion of BALB/C mice inoculated with transplantable YC8 lymphoma ascites cells as well as Swiss mice bearing Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells.