Metabolites Study of Experimental Plant Derived Alkaloids: A Review

Alkaloids are waste products of plant metabolic processes, containing at least one nitrogen atom in the heterocyclic ring. They serve a wide variety of physiological functions in humans and animals. Metabolism plays a central role in regulating the toxicity of various phytochemicals. Available literature of biological sources and metabolism study of pyrrolidine, pyrrolizidine, pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline, phenanthrene, phenethylamine, indole, terpenoid, and aporphine groups of experimental plants-derived alkaloids were collected from the Google Scholar, PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Scopus, Wiley Online Library, and Web of Science search engines. The literature reveals that hepatic microsomal enzymes such as monooxygenase and putative NADPH-FMN-reductase, carboxyl esterase, CYP2B6, CYP3A4, and CYP2D6 are primarily involved in the metabolism of alkaloids. This review may encourage natural product researchers to further research and develop new plant-derived alkaloidal drugs.