Alkaloids from the Crinum variabile (Amaryllidaceae)- including a full house of lycorine and its acylated derivatives

Abstract

An investigation into the alkaloidal content of the bulbs of the Amaryllidaceae species, Crinum variabile (Jacq.) Herb., was performed for the first time and led to the isolation of 8 known alkaloids, namely: lycorine, 1,2-O-diacetyllycorine, 1-O-acetyllycorine, 2-O-acetyllycorine, haemanthidine, 6-epihaemanthidine, bulbispermine and criwelline. It should be noted that a “full set” of lycorine and its acetylated derivatives (1,2-O-diacylated, 1-O- and 2-O-monoacylated) were obtained from the C. variabile bulbs, with lycorine being obtained in significant amounts (0.80% of dry bulb mass, i.e., 8.0 g/Kg C. variabile dry bulb mass).