solanidine

Solanidine is a poisonous steroidal alkaloid chemical compound that occurs in plants of the family Solanaceae, such as potato and Solanum americanum. The sugar portion of glycoalkaloids hydrolyses in the body, leaving the solanidine portion. == Occurrence == Solanidine is the hydrolyzed form of several naturally occurring compounds all found in the Solanaceae family, such as glycoalkaloids, α-solanine and α-chaconine. Solanidine is not commonly found in nature, but precursors to it are. Glycoalkaloids are one of the toxins present in Solanum dulcamara and can be found in other Solanum plants as well such as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant. Solanine is also found in all parts of the Solanum family species and is considered part of the plant's natural defenses. Chaconine is found in specifically green tubers and gives them their bitter taste. Solanidine is found naturally occurring in green potatoes and in the Solanum americanum species. The theorized biosynthetic route for the creation of Solanidine proposed in 1977 within the Solanaceae family was thought to be derived from cholesterol to the SA aglycone. This pathway was overturned in 2013 when a set of glycoalkaloid metabolism genes was found present in Solanaceae plants that participate in a SGA biosynthesis pathway.

==Poisoning symptoms== Solanidine occurs in the blood serum of normal healthy people who eat potato, and serum solanidine levels fall markedly once potato consumption ceases. Solanidine from food is also stored in the human body for prolonged periods of time, and it has been suggested that it could be released during times of metabolic stress with the potential for deleterious consequences. Solanidine is responsible for neuromuscular syndromes via cholinesterase inhibition. Symptoms of cholinesterase inhibition include insomnia, nausea and vomiting, accidental injury, headache, dizziness, bradycardia, hypotension, ecchymosis, and sleep disturbance. Solanidine poisoning is rarely fatal, but can in very severe cases cause coma and death.