Dr. Felix Krengel recently completed his PhD in biological sciences at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico City. His research interests include phytochemistry, metabolomics, and plant tissue culture, focusing particularly on the biosynthesis of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids by Mexican species of the Apocynaceae plant family. I invite Felix on the podcast to discuss his and his colleagues’ research into novel alkaloidal extraction and purification methods, resulting in three published papers in 2019. They are one of very few laboratories in the world, as far as I can tell, exploring the forefront of alternative botanical sources of ibogan-type alkaloids, especially ibogaine. Topics of our discussion include: the difference between primary and secondary metabolites; the difference between plant family/genus/species; his and his team’s research into Mexican Tabernaemontana species that produce ibogan-type alkaloids such as coronaridine, ibogamine, voacangine, ibogaine (“CIVI-complex”); factors affecting alkaloid concentrations in plants; variations in inner and outer root bark alkaloid concentration and its significance; using solvents to liberate alkaloids from wood products; “fake iboga” alkaloids; minor or auxiliary alkaloids; the role of environmental stress in producing alkaloids, alkaloids being one of a plant’s defense mechanisms; economic viability of ibogaine extraction from Voacanga and other non-Tabernanthe iboga species; and genetic modification of plants as potential means to increase ibogaine production. Also, visit my Podcast Supplements article regarding afterthoughts of Felix and I’s conversation (https://amhouot.com/87-ep3-5_alternative-botanical-sources-of-ibogan-alkaloids_felix-krengel/).
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