Search for bioactive alkaloids in Hymenocallis species

Extracts from five species of Hymenocallis Salisbury (Amaryllidaceae) were examined by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-EIMS), for sources of bioactive alkaloids; especially of the isocarbostyril type such as the antitumor compound narciclasine. Ten different alkaloids were identified, all of them exhibiting skeletons of the lycorine, galanthamine, and pyrrolophenanthridine types considered typical for the family. The detection of 1-O-acetyl-pseudolycorine and 4,5-dehydro-anhydrolycorine constitutes the first report of these alkaloids for the genus. In addition, the identification of anhydropseudolycorine and 4,5-dehydro-anhydropseudolycorine from several species constitutes the first report of these alkaloids as naturally occurring compounds. Neither of the species contains isocarbostyrils and, due to the low alkaloid concentrations observed, they show no promise as a source of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids.