Volume 11 of this series presents five timely reviews on current research on alkaloids. Chapter 1 by Paul L. Schiff, Jr. is a monumental survey of research that has been carried out over the past decade on the "Thalictrum" alkaloids. Forty-six new alkaloids are described from fifteen species of the genus "Thalictrum," as well as 116 alkaloids of known structure from thirty-six species and subspecies of the genus. The chapter includes discussions of isolation and structure elucidation, analysis, biosynthesis, cell culture, and pharmacology. Also featured are inclusive compilations of botanical sources, alkaloids by alkaloid types, and calculated molecular weights of the "Thalictrum" alkaloids.

Chapter 2 by Giovanni Appendino provides a fascinating treatment of Taxine, a collective name referring to a mixture of diterpenoid alkaloids from the yew tree (genus: "Taxus"). Taxine is responsible for the toxic properties of the yew tree that has been documented in historical and fictional literature, from Julius Caesar to Shakespeare, and from Agatha Christie to T.S. Eliot. The chapter treats the history, isolation techniques, structure elucidation, chemistry, and pharmacology of Taxine.

Chapter 3 by Mary D. Menachery surveys the alkaloids of South American Menispermaceae (moonseed family). Many different structural types are included in this family. The alkaloid-bearing plants are woody-vines, shrubs, or small trees. Several of these species possess potent curare activity. The chemistry as well as pharmacology of these alkaloids is summarized.

Chapter 4 by Russell J. Molyneux, Robert J. Nash, and Naoki Asano treats the chemistry and biological activity of the calystegines and related "nor"tropane alkaloids. These polyhydroxylated bicyclic alkaloids represent another class of compounds that inhibit glycosidases, producing profound effects in biological systems by disrupting the essential cellular function of glycoprotein processing.

Chapter 5, a related chapter by Robert J. Nash, Naoki Asano, and Alison A. Watson, reviews polyhydroxylated alkaloids that inhibit glycosidases. Topics covered include distribution, ecological significance and toxicity, isolation, synthesis, and biosynthesis.

Volume 7 of Alkaloids: Chemical and Biological Perspectives appears under the aegis of a new publisher: the distinguished firm of Springer Verlag New York, Inc. This volume presents three timely reviews on alkaloids: Chapter 1 reviews the homoerythrina and related alkaloids. a group of compounds occurring in seventeen species that are native to countries bordering the western Pacific. Since the last review in 1981, the number of these alkaloids has doubled. Chapter 2 is a comprehensive review of the carbon-13 NMR spectros copy of steroidal alkaloids. Because more than 350 plant species have yielded steroidal alkaloids and these alkaloids exhibit a wide spectrum of biological activities, including teratogenicity, this catalog of spectral and physical data should prove very useful to workers in this field. Chapter 3 presents a detailed review of proton and carbon-I3 NMR shift assignments and physical constants of norditerpenoid alkaloids. This chap ter is an extensive supplement to the review that appeared in Volume 2 of this series. In addition to the catalog of spectral and physical data, this chapter includes tables of proton and carbon shift assignments, a table of the occurrence of alkaloids in plant species, an index of al1 X-ray crystal structure determinations of norditerpenoid alkaloids, and tables containing molecular formulas versus calculated high-resolution mass values and calculated high-resolution mass values versus molecular formulas of nor diterpenoid alkaloids. Each chapter in this volume has been reviewed by an expert in the field. Indexes for both subjects and organisms are provided."

Volume 8 of this series presents four timely reviews on alkaloids: Chapter 1 is a magnificent and monumental review of curare, "a group of dart and/or arrow poisons varying in composition and featuring muscle relaxation as their basic pharmacological action." The fascinating history of curare is recounted, beginning with early encounters by the Spanish Conquistadores through its use as arrow poisons by the forest tribes in hunting and warfare, its chemistry, ethnography, botany and pharmacology. A terminal section of this chapter treats the development of modern muscle relaxants. This chapter thus traces how curare-initially only a crude plant extract-has given rise to the widely used and very important neuromuscular blocking agents of today. The precise role of plant secondary metabolites and their interactions with insect herbivores have been focal points for research by chemists, botanists and entomologists for many years. Alkaloids and their glycosides are frequently involved as feeding deterrents. Chapter 2 treats the relationships between the chemistry of alkaloids in host plants and the effects that these compounds may have on insect herbivores. Interestingly, an alkaloid produced by a plant may manifest different effects on different insects.