Work

Bulb alkaloids of the reputedly psychoactive Brunsvigia radulosa (Amaryllidaceae)

Year: 2002

Type: article

Abstract: Brunsvigia radulosa Herb. is a bulbous ethnomedicinal herb, widespread from the Great Karoo northwards through the grasslands of southern Africa. Earlier workers have previously identified a total of ten isoquinoline alkaloids from this taxon, including 1-O-acetylnorpluviine which is only known from B. radulosa. The current report investigates the suggestions of earlier workers relating to the psychoactivity of the bulb constituents, and its usefulness in the traditional treatment of cancer. The identification of anhydrolycorinium chloride, the second ever isolation of this compound from a plant, supports earlier observations for antineoplastic activity of bulb and leaf extracts of B. radulosa in a mouse P-388 lymphocytic leukaemia system. In the current study, 1-O-acetyllcorine was also isolated from the bulbs.

Source: South African Journal of Botany

DOI: 10.1016/s0254-6299(15)30447-6

Authors: N.R. Crouch, J. Chetty, D.A. Mulholland, E. Ndlovu, A.K. Jäger

Institution: University of KwaZulu-Natal

Language: English

Topic: Chemical synthesis and alkaloids

Subfield: Organic Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,750