USDA/ARS Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory , 1150 East 1400 North, Logan, Utah 84341, USA.
Chem Res Toxicol. 2013 Aug 19;26(8):1129-38. doi: 10.1021/tx400166f. Epub 2013 Jul 12.
Plants produce a wide variety of chemical compounds termed secondary metabolites that are not involved in basic metabolism, photosynthesis, or reproduction. These compounds are used as flavors, fragrances, insecticides, dyes, hallucinogens, nutritional supplements, poisons, and pharmaceutical agents. However, in some cases these secondary metabolites found in poisonous plants perturb biological systems. Ingestion of toxins from poisonous plants by grazing livestock often results in large economic losses to the livestock industry. The chemical structures of these compounds are diverse and range from simple, low molecular weight toxins such as oxalate in halogeton to the highly complex norditerpene alkaloids in larkspurs. While the negative effects of plant toxins on people and the impact of plant toxins on livestock producers have been widely publicized, the diversity of these toxins and their potential as new pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of diseases in people and animals has also received widespread interest. Scientists are actively screening plants from all regions of the world for bioactivity and potential pharmaceuticals for the treatment or prevention of many diseases. In this review, we focus the discussion to those plant toxins extensively studied at the USDA Poisonous Plant Research Laboratory that affect the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors including species of Delphinium (Larkspurs), Lupinus (Lupines), Conium (poison hemlock), and Nicotiana (tobaccos).
植物产生各种各样的化学化合物，称为次生代谢物，这些化合物不参与基本代谢、光合作用或繁殖。这些化合物被用作香料、香精、杀虫剂、染料、迷幻剂、营养补充剂、毒药和药物制剂。然而，在某些情况下，这些在有毒植物中发现的次生代谢物会干扰生物系统。食草家畜摄入有毒植物的毒素，往往会给畜牧业带来巨大的经济损失。这些化合物的化学结构多种多样，从简单的低分子量毒素，如 halogeton 中的草酸盐，到 highly complex norditerpene alkaloids 在 Larkspurs 中。虽然植物毒素对人和家畜生产者的负面影响以及植物毒素对人的影响已经广泛宣传，但这些毒素的多样性及其作为治疗人和动物疾病的新药的潜力也引起了广泛关注。科学家们正在积极从世界各地的植物中筛选具有生物活性和潜在药用价值的植物，以治疗或预防许多疾病。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论美国农业部有毒植物研究实验室广泛研究的那些影响烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体的植物毒素，包括 Delphinium（Larkspurs）、Lupinus（Lupines）、Conium（poison hemlock）和 Nicotiana（tobaccos）。
