Himani Karakoti, Sonu Kumar Mahawer, Tanuja Kabdal, Ravendra Kumar and Om Prakash
Department of Chemistry, College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, U.S. Nagar, Uttarakhand, India

Part of the book: The Essential Guide to Alkaloids

Abstract

Alkaloids are the most basic, naturally occurring nitrogen-containing organic compounds frequently found in plants, animals and microbes. These are the important secondary metabolites known to have a number of therapeutic and pharmacological properties. Several studies have focused on the wide range of pharmaceutical potential of alkaloids from various plants. In recent years, research regarding the pesticidal properties of alkaloids has gradually increased as they are safer for the environment, easily degradable and have low toxicity as compared to chemical pesticides. This book chapter is mainly focusing on the different properties of alkaloids as a botanical pesticide to prevent insect pests and diseases.

Keywords: alkaloids, insecticide, antimicrobial, nematicidal

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