Alkaloids
Special chemicals made by some plants that can be used as medicines or poisons.
What is it?
Alkaloids are natural compounds that contain nitrogen. Many plants produce them to protect themselves from insects or other animals. Some alkaloids are very useful as medicines. For example, the Madagascar periwinkle makes vincristine and vinblastine, which are used to treat cancer. Other alkaloids include caffeine (in coffee) and morphine (in poppies). The Madagascar periwinkle contains over 100 different alkaloids, and two of them are powerful cancer-fighting drugs.
Why it matters
Alkaloids have helped scientists develop many important drugs. Studying plants like the Madagascar periwinkle can lead to new medicines.
Where you've seen it
This list grows as you capture more plants that contain alkaloids.