Mystery of how plants make strychnine solved 75 years after characterisation
Three-quarters of a century after Robinson and Woodward cracked structure chemists unravel poison’s biosynthesis
Seventy-five years after strychnine’s structure was first characterised, researchers have discovered the complete biochemical pathway that enables nature to produce this highly poisonous and complex molecule. The work could help scientists bioengineer potent drug candidates, as well as better understand how plants make other complex chemicals.
Strychnine, an alkaloid found in the seeds of the poison nut tree, Strychos nux-vomica, and related species, is one of the most bitter and poisonous substances. It was once used as an ingredient in health tonics, but it was for its poisonous, spasm-inducing effects that it became renowned for, often featuring in murder mysteries and thrillers, including Agatha Christie’s first novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.