Galanthus

Galanthamine (23) is an alkaloid extracted from the common snowdrop Galanthus nivalis. This compound is a long-acting, competitive AChE inhibitor which appears to be somewhat more specific for acetylcholinesterase than plasma butyrylcholinesterase (132). It is well tolerated during long-term treatment (133) and is being evaluated clinically for AD (134). 

Tazeline-type alkaloids Galanthus sp. SiOj B + CHCl 3 + MeOH B + CHCI3 + MeOH — Identification 17... 

Chudzik B, Sniezko R. Similarities in some phenomena connected with maturation of crassi- and tenuinucellar ovules (Oenothera hookeri and brevistylis, Sinapis alba, Brassica napus, Galanthus nivalis). XV International Congress on Sexual Plant Reproduction, August 16-21, Wageningen, Germany, 1998. 

Traditionally, plants are a rich source of AChE inhibitors. People from the Caucasus used bulbs of snowdrops Galanthus sp.) to treat forgetfulness [25]. The active compound in this plant has been isolated and called galanthamine. Other plant-derived AChE inhibitors used for treatment of Alzheimer s disease include Huperzine A from Huperzia serrata and Rivastigmine (Excelon). The latter is a derivative from physostigmine isolated from the calabar bean, Physos-tigma vmmosum. 

Galanthamine (10), an Amaryllidaceae-type alkaloid from Galanthus woronowii Losinsk and other species of this genus, has been approved in the last few years for the treatment of early-onset Alzheimer s disease. 

Galanthamine (10) Galanthus woronowii Losinsk (snowdrop) Anti-Alzheimer s disease... 

Unver, N., Gozler, T., Walch, N., Gozler, B. and Hesse, M. 1999. Two novel dini-trogenous alkaloids from Galanthus plicatus subsp. Byzantinus (Amaryllidaceae). Phytochemistry, 50 1255-1261. 

Unver, N Kaya, G. I., Werner, C Verpoorte, R. and Gozler, B. 2003. Galan-thindole A new indole alkaloid from Galanthus plicatus ssp. Byzantinus. Planta Medico, 69 869-871. 

Lectins The mannose-specific plant lectins from Galanthus, Hippeastrum, Narcissus, Epipactis helleborine, and Listera ovata, and the V-acctylglucosaminc-spccilic lectin from Urtica dioica would primarily be targeted at the virus-cell fusion process. 

A number of mannose-specific agglutinines (lectins) from Galanthus nivalis, Hippeastrum hybrid, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, Listera ovata, Cymbidium hybrid, Epipactis helleborine, and the N-acetylglucosamine-specific lectin from Urtica dioica have been found to inhibit HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection at similar concentrations as dextran sulfate (IC50 0.2 to 0.6 fig/ml), or even lower (IC50 0.04 to 0.08 pg/ml. Akin to sulfated polysaccharides, the plant lectins also exhibit activity against various enveloped viruses other than HIV, i.e., HSV-1, HSV-2, CMV, RSV, and influenza virus. Plant lectins would primarily interfere with the virus-cell fusion process. Their precise mode of action remains to be resolved. 

Structure 113 has been assigned by physical methods to galanthusine isolated from Galanthus caucasicus (22). 

Sulfuric acid Bulbs of Galanthus nivalis or G. woronowi... 

Ewen, S. W. B., and A. Pusztai. 1999. Effect of diets containing genetically modified potatoes expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat small intestine. The Lancet 354 1353-1354. 

Van Damme, E.J.M., Allen, A.K., and Peumans, W.J., Isolation and characterization of a lectin with exclusive specificity towards mannose from snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) bulbs, FEBS Lett., 215, 140-144, 1987. 

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