Leonurine (LN)

Leonurine is one of the chemical constituents of the South African plant Leonotis leonurus. It is a mildly psychoactive alkaloid found in species Leonotis nepetifolia, Leonotis artemisia as well as other plants of family Lamiaceae. Leonurine is easily extracted into water, as well as from the essential oil of Leonurus sibiricus. Leonurine is a prominent pharmacologically active guanidine alkaloid (4-{[amino(imino)methyl]amino} butyl-4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoate), mainly exerting cardiovascular, hypotensive, uterotonic, and neuroprotective effects. It is commonly regarded as the predominant active principle of Leonurus and Leonotis drugs (subfamily Lamioideae), though its presence has only been unambiguously proven for the aerial parts of Leonurus japonicus Houtt., used in TCM/Kampo for the treatment of various gynaecological and cardiovascular disorders.