ABSTRACT
Alkaloids are a structurally diverse group of substances that derive from amino acid precursors and contain a heterocyclic nitrogen atom. Well over 10,000 distinct alkaloids have been identied from various living organisms including plants, bacteria, fungi, and animals (Evans 2009); of these, approximately half originate from plants (Makkar et al. 2007). Alkaloids are often pharmacologically active and thus have been used as medications (e.g., morphine, codeine) or recreational drugs (e.g., cocaine, psilocybin). Additionally, alkaloids such as mescaline have been used in religious or spiritual rituals.
