Sanguinarine chloride

Sanguinarine is found in opium poppy. Consumption of Sanguinarine, present in poppy seeds and in the oil of <i>Argemone mexicana</i> which has been used as an adulterant for mustard oil in India, has been linked to development of glaucoma. Sanguinarine is banned by FDA. Sanguinarine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the group of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids. It is extracted from some plants, including bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Mexican prickly poppy Argemone mexicana, Chelidonium majus and Macleaya cordata. It is also found in the root, stem and leaves of the opium poppy but not in the capsule. Sanguinarine is a toxin that kills animal cells through its action on the Na+-K+-ATPase transmembrane protein. Epidemic dropsy is a disease that results from ingesting sanguinarine. Sanguinarine has been shown to exhibit antibiotic, anti-apoptotic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic functions Sanguinarine belongs to the family of Benzoquinolines. These are organic compounds containing a benzene fused to a quinoline ring system. (A3208, A3209, A3208, A3208, A3208).