alstonine

**Alstonine** is a plant-derived indole alkaloid, naturally occurring in various species such as *Alstonia boonei*, *Rauvolfia vomitoria*, and *Catharanthus roseus*.[1][5] It is a pentacyclic compound with putative antipsychotic activity, traditionally used in Nigerian herbal medicine for mental illnesses[3][7]. Preclinical studies indicate a potent antipsychotic profile, reducing hyperlocomotion, stereotypy, and social withdrawal in animal models, with additional anxiolytic-like, anticancer, and antimalarial effects[1][3][5][6][7][8]. Mechanistically, alstonine appears to modulate serotonergic (5-HT2A, 5-HT2C) and dopaminergic pathways, increasing serotonergic signaling and intraneuronal dopamine catabolism, with indications of serotonin receptor agonism and indirect glutamate uptake inhibition[7][5]. Alstonine lacks extrapyramidal or metabolic side effects typical of established antipsychotics in animal studies[7][3].

Other names

alstonin3,4,5,6,16,17-Hexadehydro-16-(methoxycarbonyl)-19alpha-methyl-20alpha-oxayohimbaniumNCI60_041680C09028C-09028C 0902820alpha-Oxayohimbanium, 3,4,5,6,16,17-hexadehydro-16-(methoxycarbonyl)-19alpha-methyl-UNII-SB0M27Q90XUNII-SB-0M27Q90XUNII-SB 0M27Q90XCHEBI:2612methyl (15S,16S,20S)-16-methyl-17-oxa-3,13-diazapentacyclo[11.8.0.02,10.04,9.015,20]henicosa-1,3,5,7,9,11,18-heptaene-19-carboxylate