Sophoramine (Sophora Quinolizidine Alkaloid · Formulator Reference)
Compiled from published pharmacological and botanical literature. Not independently verified by Herbuno. Spotted an error or have a correction? Flag it below →
| Compound | Sophoramine |
| Chemical class | Alkaloid — Quinolizidine (matrine-type tetracyclic) |
| CAS | 6882-68-4 |
| Primary source | Sophora alopecuroides seeds and aerial parts; also Sophora spp. |
| Key applications | Quinolizidine alkaloid constituent; anti-inflammatory and antiviral research context |
| Claim strength | Emerging |
| Typical form | Sophora alopecuroides extract standardised to total quinolizidine alkaloids (availability on request) |
| Buy from Herbuno | Availability on request — request bulk pricing → |
Name origin: Sophoramine is named for the genus Sophora and is a matrine-type tetracyclic quinolizidine alkaloid — a structural class quite distinct from the indole alkaloids that dominate much of this section of HerbIQ, built instead on a fused bicyclic quinolizidine core. Traditional use: The seeds of Sophora alopecuroides have been used as a crude drug in China for many centuries Wang 2012, and the plant is widely distributed across western and central Asia, including Afghanistan, China, India, and northern Pakistan. In Iranian traditional medicine the seed is administered orally for pain, diarrhoea, and the management of opioid and other substance withdrawal — a use that has attracted modern pharmacological attention. The quinolizidine alkaloids are the principal bioactive constituents underlying these traditional applications. Research trajectory: Sophoramine is one of the characteristic alkaloids quantified when Sophora alopecuroides is analysed: a validated UPLC-MS/MS method determines cytisine, oxymatrine, oxysophocarpine, sophoridine, sophoramine, matrine, and sophocarpine simultaneously, and revealed marked differences in alkaloid distribution between seed coat and cotyledon Wang 2012. It was also isolated and structurally confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in work on the aerial parts of the plant Xiao 2000. Comprehensive review of the Sophora quinolizidine alkaloids documents the group's anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antitumour activities across preclinical study Wang 2019. Commercial source: Sophora alopecuroides extract standardised to total quinolizidine alkaloids is available from Herbuno on request.
Evidence for Sophoramine Applications
Quantified Sophora constituent: Sophoramine is one of seven quinolizidine alkaloids determined simultaneously in Sophora alopecuroides seeds by a validated UPLC-MS/MS method, alongside cytisine, oxymatrine, oxysophocarpine, sophoridine, matrine, and sophocarpine, with the analysis showing remarkable differences in alkaloid content between seed coat and cotyledon Wang 2012. This makes it a defined, measurable marker of the material. Claim strength: Emerging.
Group pharmacology: Comprehensive review of the quinolizidine alkaloids in Sophora documents the class as possessing anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumour, and antimicrobial activities in preclinical study, establishing the genus as a well-characterised source of pharmacologically active alkaloids Wang 2019. Sophoramine sits within that group pharmacology. Claim strength: Emerging.
Structural confirmation: Sophoramine was isolated from the aerial parts of Sophora alopecuroides alongside a new matrine-type alkaloid and several known congeners, with structures confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis Xiao 2000. This places its identity on firm chemical ground. Claim strength: Emerging.
Individual pharmacology less developed: Unlike matrine, oxymatrine, or sophocarpine, each of which has attracted dedicated pharmacological review, sophoramine's individual activity profile is comparatively sparsely characterised, and it is best understood as a constituent of the whole quinolizidine alkaloid complex rather than as a standalone agent Wang 2019. Claim strength: Emerging.
Tissue distribution: The distribution of sophoramine and its congeners differs substantially between plant parts — seed coat versus cotyledon, and seed versus aerial parts — so the alkaloid profile of any Sophora alopecuroides material depends materially on which tissue is used Wang 2012Xiao 2000. Claim strength: Emerging.
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Dosage & Formulator Specification
Sophoramine is at an early stage of individual characterisation, and no established human dose exists for the isolated alkaloid. It is delivered as one constituent of the Sophora alopecuroides quinolizidine alkaloid complex rather than as a standalone standardised ingredient, and any material specification should rest on total quinolizidine alkaloid content by HPLC or UPLC-MS/MS.
A species distinction is essential here and is easy to get wrong. Herbuno's existing Sophora products — rutin, quercetin, and luteolin isolates — are derived from Sophora japonica, the Japanese pagoda tree, which is a flavonoid source and does not deliver the quinolizidine alkaloids at all. Sophoramine comes from Sophora alopecuroides (and related species such as S. flavescens and S. tonkinensis), whose chemistry is entirely different. A buyer specifying "Sophora extract" without naming the species and the standardisation target could receive flavonoid material containing none of the alkaloid required. Sophora alopecuroides extract standardised to total quinolizidine alkaloids is available from Herbuno on request.
Plant part matters as much as species. Alkaloid distribution differs markedly between seed coat and cotyledon and between seed and aerial parts, so the tissue used must be specified and confirmed by assay rather than assumed. Given that the quinolizidine alkaloids are potent and that the traditional Iranian use involves the seed, batch-level analytical characterisation is the only defensible basis for handling this material, and formulation and labelling should reflect the preclinical status of the evidence and avoid therapeutic claims.
This monograph documents sophoramine as a formulator reference within the HerbIQ index, distinguishing the alkaloid-bearing Sophora alopecuroides from the flavonoid-bearing Sophora japonica, and connecting it to matrine, oxymatrine, and sophoridine covered elsewhere in the library.
Frequently Asked Questions — Sophoramine
What is sophoramine?
Sophoramine is a matrine-type quinolizidine alkaloid of Sophora alopecuroides, a legume used as a crude drug in Chinese medicine for centuries. It is one of the plant's characteristic alkaloids, alongside matrine, oxymatrine, sophocarpine, and sophoridine.
Which Sophora species is the source?
Sophora alopecuroides (and related species such as Sophora flavescens and Sophora tonkinensis). This is an important distinction: Sophora japonica, the Japanese pagoda tree, is a flavonoid source used for rutin and quercetin, and contains no meaningful quantity of the quinolizidine alkaloids.
Can I source sophoramine from Herbuno?
Sophora alopecuroides extract standardised to total quinolizidine alkaloids is available on request. Note that Herbuno's existing Sophora products are Sophora japonica flavonoid isolates (rutin, quercetin, luteolin), which are chemically unrelated and do not deliver sophoramine.
What is sophoramine studied for?
The Sophora quinolizidine alkaloids as a group have documented anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antitumour activities in preclinical study, and the genus is a well-established source of these compounds. Sophoramine specifically is characterised mainly as a quantified constituent within that group; its individual pharmacology is less developed than that of matrine or oxymatrine.
Related compounds: Matrine, Oxymatrine, Sophoridine, Cytisine
Claim-strength scale – High = multiple human RCTs; Moderate = limited trials or strong preclinical convergence; Emerging = early-stage lab or animal data.
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