Caucasian snowdrops

Reversible carbamate anticholinesterase and allosteric modulator at nicotinic cholinergic receptor sites potentiating nicotinic neurotransmission. Originally derived from the bulbs of the Caucasian snowdrop (Galanthus woronowii), now prepared synthetically for clinical use in the treatment of Alzheimer s disease. 

The alkaloid galanthamine (169) has been obtained from various Amaryllidaceae species including daffodils, the red spider lily Lycoris radiata) and the Caucasian snowdrop (Galanthus woronowii). Its effectiveness as a centrally acting, selective, reversible and competitive inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase has resulted in galanthamine being introduced into the clinic in both the USA and Europe for the symptomatic treatment of mild to moderate forms of Alzheimer s disease [57]. These and various other intriguing feamres of this alkaloid have prompted extensive synthetic studies of it [57]. 

The alkaloid (—)-galanthamine (a.k.a. galantamine, 1, Figure 1) has been obtained from a variety of plant sources including Caucasian snowdrops... 

M. Heinrich, H. L. Teoh Galanth-amine from snowdrop — the development of a modem dmg against Alzheimer s disease from local Caucasian knowledge. J Ethno-pharmacol 2004, 92, 147—162. 

---