Lycorine from Narcissus pseudonarcissus

Lycorine (69) was recognized as a potent emetic and a moderately toxic base from the time of its initial isolation from Narcissus pseudonarcissus E. (in about 1877) (48). Since that time its isolation from many other AmaryUidaceae, for example, Lpcom radiate Herb., has served to estabUsh it as the most cosmopohtan alkaloid of the family. TypicaUy, as much as 1% of the dry weight of daffodil bulbs may consist of lycorine (69), which has been reported to... 

The poisonous and medicinal properties of certain species of the family Amaryllidaceae prompted many investigators in the luneteenth century to seek for active compounds from this family. The investigation of Narcissus pseudonarcissus in 1877 led to the isolation of lycorine 1 as the first alkaloid from this family (5). Since then, more than 300 such alkaloids have been reported. They are present in the species of almost all of the genera of the family Amaryllidaceae. More than 150 were isolated during the last two decades. 

Plant species belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family are widely distributed in several countries in the world. They are also cultivated as ornamental plants for their beautiful flowers and for the production of volatile oil. The study of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids began in 1877 with the isolation of lycorine [37, Fig. (9) and Table 2] from Narcissus pseudonarcissus [9], and the interest around this group of naturally occurring compounds has increased in time because of their effective antitumoral and antiviral activities. 

A unique characteristic for plants of the family Amaryllidaceae is the production of a group of structurally diverse but biogenetically relative alkaloids. Since lycorine 1 was isolated as the first alkaloid from Narcissus pseudonarcissus in 1877, up to 500 alkaloids have been identified from plants of this family to date. Furthermore, the number remains increasing every year. At present, most genera of this family are validated to produce Amaryllidaceae alkaloids. 

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