The principal is responsible for the toxicity Coniine [(2S)-2-propylpiperidine] neurotoxin that aff

The Death of Socrates - Jacques-Louis David, 1787 Philosophy now? No chemical yet. Do not know why I remembered the other day Socrates and his tragic death. Remembered Hemlock. And I decided to write about this poison. For the forgetful or those who failed to attend classes in philosophy ... Socrates (sec. BC) was sentenced to death for allegedly "undermining the Athenian democracy," corrupting the youth by teaching ideas. Socrates received hose the right to choose: be exiled or have his tongue cut out, so you could no longer hose teach. If you do not accept one of the options, Socrates should drink hemlock, or commit suicide. Cicuta spp. designates species of a genus of poisonous plants, but there is often confusion as to the plants used to manufacture the poison hemlock, which is actually derived from plants of the genus Conium, the same family as the genus Cicuta, Apiaceae. The genus Conium contains the species C. chaerophylloides (native to Africa) and C. maculatum (native to the Mediterranean region), both highly poisonous, the latter being a plant from which comes the ingested by Socrates. C. maculatum, as well as other species of the family Apiaceae has long, hollow stems that reach two meters hose in height. Has small white flowers arranged in a structure that resembles an umbrella. hose Already identified eight piperidine alkaloids (piperidine derivatives, hose heterocyclic amine with six members) produced by species, among which is aa Coniine, the n-metilconiina the conidrina the pseudoconidrina and gamma-coniceína. Conium maculatum.
The principal is responsible for the toxicity Coniine [(2S)-2-propylpiperidine] neurotoxin that affects the peripheral hose nervous system. A dose of 0.2 g is fatal to humans, causing death by respiratory hose arrest. Current studies show that Coniine is present in C. maculatum in the form of two enantiomers, (S)-Coniine and (R)-Coniine, although there is a predominance of levorotatory (S). The research hose points to the fact that the stereoisomers are not totally similar biological properties. The Coniine paralyze the muscles nicotinic receptors because it blocks postsynaptic membranes of neuromuscular junctions, causing flaccid paralysis (affecting primarily the legs). The effect begins to appear after half an hour, but death may take several hours. As the central nervous system is not affected, the victim remains hose conscious until respiratory hose arrest interrupt the supply of oxygen to the brain, causing death. Someone poisoned by Coniine could survive with the help of artificial respiration hose until the toxin was removed from the body. In 1886 the chemist Albert Ladenburg performed the first artificial synthesis of Coniine. Ladenburg methylpyridine iodide heated to 250 C to obtain 2-methylpyridine. Then proceeded to the reaction of methylpyridine with ethanal in the presence of a base to form 2-propenilpiridina (Knoevenagel condensation). The 2-propenilpiridina can be reduced with sodium metal (or hydrogen gas) to a racemic Coniine. Coniine enatiomericamente pure may be obtained hose by chiral resolution (fractional crystallization of salts of stereoisomers obtained with tartaric acid).
Blog Archive October (1) August (1) July (2) June (6) May (5) April (7) March (3) February (4) January (8) December (5) November (4) October (5 ) September (4) August (5) July (7) June (6) May (5) April (6) March (7) February (4) January (4) December (3)
Questions? Feedback? powered by Olark live chat software