The discovery of alkaloids

This paper presents the history of the discovery of the first alkaloids. Isolation of alkaloids is connected with the study of the active principles of medicines of plant origin, for example opium and cinchona bark. Sertürner described morphine as a plant alkali and claimed that it was capable of neutralizing free acids yielding salts. The recognition of alkaloids as a new class of compounds was an important step at that time because of the dogmatic denial of the possible existence of plant bases. Isolation of alkaloids is a significant event from the point of view of chemistry, physiology and medicine. The discovery caused essential conceptual changes in chemistry. Priority claims with reference to the discovery of the alkaloids are also reviewed.