Abstract
Nerine Herbert, family Amaryllidaceae, is a genus of about 30 species that are native to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swatini (formerly known as Swaziland). Species of Nerine are autumn-flowering, perennial, bulbous plants, which inhabit areas with summer rainfall and cool, dry winters. Most Nerine species have been cultivated for their elegant flowers, presenting a source of innumerable horticultural hybrids. For many years, species of Nerine have been subjected to extensive phytochemical and pharmacological investigations, which resulted in either the isolation or identification of more than fifty Amaryllidaceae alkaloids belonging to different structural types. Amaryllidaceae alkaloids are frequently studied for their interesting biological properties, including antiviral, antibacterial, antitumor, antifungal, antimalarial, analgesic, cytotoxic, and cholinesterase inhibition activities. The present review aims to summarize comprehensively the research that has been reported on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of the genus Nerine.
Highlights
The monocotyledonous family Amaryllidaceae consists of ca. 85 genera and 1100 species, and is one of the 20 most important alkaloid-containing plant families
53 Amaryllidaceae alkaloids of various structural types have been either isolated or identified in the studied Nerine plants (Table 1)
This review summarizes ethnobotanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological information about the genus Nerine, family Amaryllidaceae, and closely related to the genera Brunsvigia Heist. and Hessea Herb
Summary
The monocotyledonous family Amaryllidaceae consists of ca. 85 genera and 1100 species, and is one of the 20 most important alkaloid-containing plant families. 85 genera and 1100 species, and is one of the 20 most important alkaloid-containing plant families. Amaryllidaceae species are widely distributed over the tropical and warm regions of the world, and have been cultivated as ornamental plants for their colorful flowers and fragrant oils, and for their extensive use as folk medicines against various diseases in many countries and areas [1]. Since the isolation of the first alkaloid, lycorine, from Narcissus pseudonarcissus in 1877, up to now, more than 600 structurally diverse alkaloids have been isolated from plants of this family with a wide range of interesting biological activities, including antitumor, antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, antiviral, analgesic, and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities [3,4,5].
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