Raubasine
Ajmalicine
Chemical compound
Ajmalicine, also known as δ-yohimbine or raubasine, is an antihypertensive drug used in the treatment of high blood pressure.[1] It has been marketed under numerous brand names including Card-Lamuran, Circolene, Cristanyl, Duxil, Duxor, Hydroxysarpon, Iskedyl, Isosarpan, Isquebral, Lamuran, Melanex, Raunatin, Saltucin Co, Salvalion, and Sarpan.[1] It is an alkaloid found naturally in various plants such as Rauvolfia spp., Catharanthus roseus, and Mitragyna speciosa.[1][2][3]
Ajmalicine is structurally related to yohimbine, rauwolscine, and other yohimban derivatives.[4] Like corynanthine, it acts as a α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist with preferential actions over α2-adrenergic receptors, underlying its hypotensive rather than hypertensive effects.[1][5]
Additionally, it is a very strong inhibitor of the CYP2D6 liver enzyme, which is responsible for the breakdown of many drugs. Its binding affinity at this receptor is 3.30 nM.[6]