Alkaloids are a class of compounds that typically contain nitrogen and have complex, ring structures. They naturally occur in seed-bearing plants and are found in berries, bark, fruit, roots, and leaves. Often, they are bases that have some physiological effect.

Evidence suggests that alkaloids have been used by humanity for thousands of years. The first civilizations to use them were probably the ancient Sumarians and Egyptians. However, it was not until the early nineteenth century that these compounds were reproducibly isolated and analyzed. Advances in analytical separation techniques, such as chromatography and mass spectroscopy, led to the elucidation of the chemical structure of alkaloids. The term for these compounds is thought to have originated from the fact that the alkaloid, morphine, had similar properties to basic salts derived from the alkali ashes of plants; thus, it was called a vegetable alkali or alkaloid. Since the first alkaloids were...