This base is isolated, together with Guvacine (q.v.) from the nuts of Areca
catechu. It is optically inactive and yields crystalline salts: the hydrochloride,
m.p. 231°C; aurich1oride, m.p. 198- 200°C and the p1atinich1oride, m.p. 235°C.
The alkaloid is faintly acid to litmus and on methylation gives the N-methyl
derivative which, on more vigorous methylation yields the dimethyl compound
giving a crystalline platinichloride, m.p. 252°C. The above melting points suggest
that the base may be mainly Arecaidine (q.v.) but on distillation with Zn dust,
it yields products with the characteristic pyrrole reaction.
A GABAA receptor agonist. Anticonvulsant; antiepileptic.
ChEBI: Isoguvacine is a tetrahydropyridine.
Specific GABA A receptor agonist.
Jahns., Ber., 21,3404 (1888)
Jahns., ibid, 23, 2972 (1890)
Jahns., ibid, 24,2615 (1891)
Jahns., Arch. Pharrn., 229, 669 (1891)
Trier., Zeit. Physiol. Chern., 85,372 (1913)
