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Key Documents

S0532

Sigma-Aldrich

Strychnine

Synonym(s):

(−)-Strychnine

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About This Item

Empirical Formula (Hill Notation):
C21H22N2O2
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
334.41
Beilstein:
52979
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352210
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.54

mp

284-286 °C (lit.)

solubility

chloroform: soluble, clear to hazy

SMILES string

[H][C@@]12CC(=O)N3c4ccccc4[C@]56CC[N@H]7CC(=CCO1)[C@]([H])(C[C@@H]57)[C@]2([H])[C@]36[H]

InChI

1S/C21H22N2O2/c24-18-10-16-19-13-9-17-21(6-7-22(17)11-12(13)5-8-25-16)14-3-1-2-4-15(14)23(18)20(19)21/h1-5,13,16-17,19-20H,6-11H2/t13-,16-,17-,19-,20-,21+/m0/s1

InChI key

QMGVPVSNSZLJIA-FVWCLLPLSA-N

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General description

Strychnine is a colorless, odourless and bitter tasting powder. It is absorbed in skin, gastrointestinaland respiratory tract. Strychnine generates oxides of nitrogen and carbon on decomposition.
Strychnine is a glycine receptor antagonist not associated with the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. It is an alkaloid extracted from Strychnos nux vomica seeds.

Application

Strychnine has been used as a glycine receptors antagonist in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal and rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) neurons. It has also been used as type C glycine receptor antagonist in direction selective (DS) retinal cells.
Strychnine has been used in antagonist profiling to characterize a novel nicotinic receptor in Aplysia neuroendocrine cells.

Biochem/physiol Actions

At low doses, strychnine is used for circulatory problems, gastrointestinal disorders and eye diseases.
Strychnine is used as a rodenticide and a glycine receptor antagonist, which inhibits Renshaw cell-motor neuron synapse. It binds to the α subunit N-terminal region of the glycine receptor. The effect of strychnine is neutralized in the presence of glycine receptor agonist ivermectin. Strychnine also inhibits leukocyte motility.
Convulsant; glycine receptor antagonist not associated with the NMDA receptor.

Pictograms

Skull and crossbonesEnvironment

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Statements

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 1 Dermal - Acute Tox. 1 Oral - Aquatic Acute 1 - Aquatic Chronic 1

Storage Class Code

6.1A - Combustible acute toxic Cat. 1 and 2 / very toxic hazardous materials

WGK

WGK 2

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

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