Pyrrolidine alkaloids and their promises in pharmacotherapy

This review aimed at summarizing the literature pertaining to the biological activities of pyrrolidine alkaloids and their derivatives obtained from various sources. For this purpose, an up-to-date search was made in various databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, The American Chemical Society and Google Scholar. Findings suggest that to date, a number of pyrrolidine alkaloids have been shown to possess several important biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and anthelmintic, anticancer, anti-hyperglycemic, organ protective, and neuropharmacological activities. Additionally, some alkaloids have been identified to exert toxic effects on the animal organs. Among these alkaloids, bgugaine and irniine are known to cause renal injuries, whereas nicotine and cocaine have been confirmed to cause neurotoxicity in experimental animals. Furthermore, pyrrolidine alkaloids can be some of the best sources of pharmacologically active lead compounds.