Lycoris radiata Amaryllidaceae alkaloids

Lyeorine was isolated from the bulbs of Lycoris radiata (Amaryllidaceae), and its chemical structure, including the absolute stereochemistry, was reported [3,4]. The biological activities of this alkaloid are similar to those of emetine (Section 1.14), and it was formerly used for the treatment of amoebic dysentery. Gaianthamine was shown to be the same alkaloid as... 

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]. 

Wang L, Yin Z, Cai Y, Zhang X, Yao X, Ye W (2010) Amaryllidaceae alkaloids from the bulbs of Lycoris radiata. Biochem Syst Ecol 38 444... 

Extracts of Narcissus bulbs have been used in the past for the treatment of cancers [127], Recent investigations have resulted in the isolation of a new alkaloid, narciclasine, having antimitotic activity against S 180 in ascites form at 0-5 mg/kg. Narciclasine has been found in other members of the family Amaryllidaceae, and is identical with the alkaloid lycoricidinol from Lycoris radiata [128]. 

---