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Steroidal Alkaloid Variation In Veratrum Californicum As Determined By Modern Methods Of Analytical Analysis, Matthew W. Turner, Meagan Rossi, Vannessa Campfield, John French, Ellie Hunt, Emily Wade, Owen M. Mcdougal

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Veratrum californicum is a rich source of steroidal alkaloids, many of which have proven to be antagonists of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway that becomes aberrant in over twenty types of cancer. These alkaloids first became known in the 1950's due to their teratogenic properties, which resulted in newborn and fetal lambs developing cyclopia as a result of pregnant ewes consuming Veratrum californicum. It was discovered that the alkaloids in V. californicum were concentrated in the root and rhizome of the plant with much lower amounts of the most active alkaloid, cyclopamine, present in the aerial plant, especially in …