Rotundine is the l-isomer of Tetrahydropalmatine which is from the corydalis plant.....i found this searching on the net
ACTION OF TETRAHYDROPALMATINE
The physiological effects of THP are essentially the same as those of the herb corydalis, which is analgesic, sedative, tranquilizing, and slightly hypnotic.(12) The herb contains a number of other protoberberine series alkaloids with similar effects, as well as protopine series alkaloids.(4) Corydaline, a methylated analog of THP, is present in similar amounts and has the most similar activity, with perhaps even greater analgesic effect.
Corydalis is used extensively by practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine both in Asia and the West, where it is recognized (by those practitioners and their patients) as a safe and often effective remedy for common pain syndromes, especially abdominal pain. It is most frequently utilized in the form of slices of the dried tuber used to make a tea, powdered and combined with other herbs in tablets and capsules, or as a powder or granule derived from the hot water extract of the dried tuber. Isolated L-tetrahydropalmatine (derived from Stephania species) is also widely used in the product Jin Bu Huan (literally: "more valuable than gold." a name given to several folk remedies that are analgesic and hypnotic. including the crude herb Stephania japonica). dl-Tetrahydropalmatine from corydalis is sold in tablets in the product called Yuan Hu Zhi Tong Pian.
Experiments on rabbits, mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys(8) showed that dl-tetrahydropalmatine at high dosage produced a significant hypnotic action. The compound is able to tame monkeys; it markedly decreases both spontaneous and passive activity in mice but is unable to abolish the righting reflex, suggesting the absence of anesthetic action. Subcutaneous injection of the agent to dogs results in sedation, tranquilization, lack of desire to escape, and tame behavior 5-20 minutes after medication; drowsiness is observed 30 minutes later. The effects last as long as 80 minutes. Nevertheless, the animals' senses are still present and they are easily awakened. In relation to these pharmacological findings, it is interesting to note that individuals reporting informally to the Institute for Traditional Medicine (ITM) about their experience with oral ingestion of THP in the form of the Chinese product JBH state that the time from ingestion to onset of effects is about 20 minutes, and that the duration of effects is typically about 90 minutes. (Insomniacs who wish for longer action are disappointed by this, but those who have suffered morning drowsiness from long-acting pharmaceutical drugs like this quality of JBH.)
dl-Tetrahydropalmatine potentiates or antagonizes the action of various drugs that influence the central nervous system.(8) It significantly potentiates the hypnotic action of cyclobarbital and it increases sensitivity to the convulsant effect of strychnine, yet it antagonizes the central stimulant action of caffeine and amphetamine and the convulsant effect of pentylenetetrazole. It also inhibits the neck and back scratching action of mice given the hallucinogen mescaline. In pharmacology experiments. the analgesic action of THP was shown to be less than that of morphine. Its tranquilizing action is stronger than that of morphine but less than that of chlorpromazine. It has been reported that l-tetrahydropalmatine has the analgesic and sedative actions, but that d-tetrahydropalmatine in similar doses produces a brief stimulation. Experiments with d-tetrahydropalmatine have been limited and, thus far, significant differences between the isolated dl-form and the combined dl-form have not been clearly demonstrated.
The mechanism of action of THP has been investigated.(8,12,13,14) It depresses cortical and subcortical electrical activity, especially in the motor areas of the brain. The action on neurotransmitters was shown to be different from that of either reserpine or morphine. While some protoberberine compounds bind to M-cholinergic receptors in the brain, THP and several closely related alkaloids do not. Other studies have shown that dl-tetrahydropalmatine and l-tetrahydropalmatine deplete the levels of three neurotransmitters: dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, with a corresponding increase in most of their metabolites. This finding suggests that the compound acts as a short-lasting monoamine depleter. The other berberine compounds, some of which could bind to M-cholinergic receptors, do not have an effect on mono-amines in the brain. In other words, the action of THP is unique. Pharmacokinetic studies(8) show that intragastric administration of THP to mice at a dose of 60 mg/kg results in rapid and nearly complete absorption (90%) within thirty minutes. When injected subcutaneously, the compound mainly enters fatty tissue, and is also found in the lungs, liver, and kidneys. Over time, more of the compound is transferred to fat. It can easily cross the blood-brain barrier, and concentration in the brain peaks within a few minutes, is somewhat reduced after 30 minutes, and quite low after two hours (corresponding, roughly, with the observed impact of the compound on behavior in animals). It should be noted that the common alkaloid berberine also accumulates in brain tissue; in China, pregnant women are not prescribed high doses of berberine because the material can accumulate in fetal brain tissue. THP should therefore not be recommended for use during pregnancy, even though, at this time, there is no reason to believe it will cause harm when used in us ual amounts. It appears that most of the alkaloid is metabolized prior to excretion in rabbits, since little is found in urine or feces, but most of it is excreted unmetabolized in the urine of rats within 12 hours. Therefore, the metabolism of the compound differs with the species of animal, though the effects do not differ substantially.
So basicly it depresses electrical activity in certain areas of the brain and depletes monoamines (ie norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin)
It's natural in turkey.
