Hygrine
Encyclopedia
Hygrine is a pyrrolidine
alkaloid
, found mainly in coca
leaves (0.2%). It was first isolated by Carl Liebermann in 1889 (along with a related compound cuscohygrine
) as an alkaloid accompanying cocaine
in coca. Hygrine is extracted as a thick yellow oil, having a pungent taste and odor.
Pyrrolidine
Pyrrolidine, also known as tetrahydropyrrole, is an organic compound with the molecular formula C4H9N. It is a cyclic secondary amine with a five-membered heterocycle containing four carbon atoms and one nitrogen atom...
alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
, found mainly in coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
leaves (0.2%). It was first isolated by Carl Liebermann in 1889 (along with a related compound cuscohygrine
Cuscohygrine
Cuscohygrine is a pyrrolidine alkaloid found in coca. It can be extracted from plants of the family Solanaceae as well, including Atropa belladonna , Datura inoxia and Datura stramonium...
) as an alkaloid accompanying cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
in coca. Hygrine is extracted as a thick yellow oil, having a pungent taste and odor.