National Toxicology Program

Selected information from two of the National Library of Medicine's databases: ChemIDPlus¹ and HSDB².

Names (NTP)

• Reserpine
• (3BETA,16BETA,17ALPHA,18BETA,20ALPHA)-11,17-DIMETHOXY-18-((3,4,5-TRIMETHOXYBENZOYL)OXY)-YOHIMBAN-16-CARBOXYLIC ACID METHYL ESTER

Structure

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Chemical Properties²

Property	Description
Color/Form	White or pale buff to slightly yellowish powder Long prisms from dil acetone
Odor	Odorless
Taste	None found
Boiling Point	None found
Melting Point	264.5 deg C
Molecular Weight	608.69
Corrosivity	None found
Critical Temperature & Pressure	None found
Density/Specific Gravity	None found
Disassociation Constants	Weak base; pK 6.6
Heat of Combustion	None found
Heat of Vaporization	None found
log P (octanol-water)	None found
pH	None found
Solubilities	Freely sol in chloroform (approx. 1 g/6 ml), methylene chloride, glacial acetic acid; sol in benzene, ethyl acetate; slightly sol in acetone, methanol, alcohol (1 g/1800 ml), ether, and in aq solns of acetic and citric acids. In water, 73 mg/l @ 30 deg C
Spectral Properties	Specific optical rotation: -118 deg @ 23 deg C/D (c= 1 in chloroform), -168 deg @ 26 deg C/D (c= 0.624 in dimethylformamide), -164 deg @ 26 deg C/D (c= 0.96 in pyridine); max absorption (chloroform): 216 nm, 267 nm, 295 nm (log e= 61,700; 17,000; 10,200) UV: 6-1224 (Organic Electronic Spectral Data, Phillips et al, John Wiley & Sons, New York) MASS: 283 (Aldermaston, Eight Peak Index of Mass Spectra, UK) Intense mass spectral peaks: 195 m/z, 365 m/z, 397 m/z, 608 m/z
Surface Tension	None found
Vapor Density	None found
Vapor Pressure	None found
Relative Evaporation Rate	None found
Viscosity	None found
Other Properties	Darkens slowly upon exposure to light, but more rapidly in solution. An alkaloid. Upon standing most solns acquire a yellow color and pronounced fluorescence; esp after the addition of acid or upon exposure to light.

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Uses²

• Antihypertensive, central depressant, and sedative drug for both humans and animals.
  
• Therap cat: Antihypertensive
  
• Therap cat (Vet): Hypotensive, tranquilizer. Has been used to prevent aortic rupture in turkeys.
  

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Superlist Classes¹

• Overall Carcinogenic Evaluation: Group 3
  
• Reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen
  
• Reportable Quantity (RQ) = 5000 lb
  

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Notes (Sources: NTP,HSDB,RTECS,MESH)¹

• None found

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Other Registry Numbers¹

• 1407-38-1
  
• 141099-49-2
  
• 8048-25-7
  

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Synonyms (Sources: NTP, HSDB,RTECS,MESH)¹

• 4-25-00-01319 (Beilstein Handbook Reference)
• Anquil
• Apoplon
• Banasil
• Bioserpine
• BRN 0102014
• Carpacil
• Chloroserp-250
• Chloroserp-500
• Chloroserpin-250
• Chloroserpine-500
• Crystoserpine
• Deserpine
• Diupres 250
• Diupres 500
• Diurese-R
• Elserpine
• ENT 50146
• Escaspere
• Eserpine
• Eskaserp
• Gilucard
• Hiposerpil
• HSDB 213
• Hydro-Fluserpine #1
• Hydromox-R
• Hydropine
• Hydropres 25
• Hydropres 50
• Hydro-Reserpine-25
• Hydro-Reserpine-50
• Hydroserp
• Hydroserpalan
• Hydroserpine #1
• Hydroserpine Plus
• Hydrosine 25
• Kitine
• Klimanosid
• Lemiserp
• Loweserp
• Mallopress
• Mayserpine
• Metatensin #2
• Metatensin #4
• NCI-C50157
• Quiescin
• Raucap
• Raulen
• Raunervil
• Raupasil
• Raupoid
• Raurine
• Rausan
• Rau-Sed
• Rausedan
• Rausedil
• Rausedyl
• Rauserpol
• Rausingle
• Rauwita
• RCRA waste number U200
• Recipin
• Renese-R
• Resaltex
• Resedrex
• Resedril
• Rese-Lar
• Reser-AR
• Reserbal
• Resercaps
• Resercen
• Reserfia
• Reserjen
• Reserlor
• Reserp
• Reserpal
• Reserpamed
• Reserpanca
• Reserpene
• Reserpex
• Reserpidefe
• Reserpil

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Links to Additional Information¹

• CCRIS
• DailyMed
• DART
• DrugPortal
• EINECS
• EMIC
• GENETOX
• HSDB
• LactMed
• MedlinePlusAll
• MedlinePlusDrug
• MeSH Heading
• MeSH
• PubChem
• TOXLINE
• ClinicalTrials.gov
• PubMed
• PubMed Toxicology
• PubMed Cancer

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Footnotes

¹ Source: the National Library of Medicine's ChemIDPlus, 05/28/2009.

² Source: the National Library of Medicine's Hazardous Substance Database, 10/28/2007.