Catharanthine is a terpene indole alkaloid produced by the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus and Tabernaemontana divaricata.

Catharanthine is derived from strictosidine, but the exact mechanism by which this happens is currently unknown.

Catharanthine is one of the two precursors that form vinblastine, the other being vindoline.

[1] Catharanthine alkaloids are non competitive antagonist of muscle type nAChRs and this is thought to be the case due to presence of catharanthine moiety in those compounds.

[4] Structural analysis of catharanthine shows activity on TRPM8, TRPA1, and butyrylcholinesterase.