Phytochemical studies on Galanthus cilicicus

The genus Galanthus L. (Amaryllidaceae) is represented by 14 species (15 taxa) in Turkey. Among these species, Galanthus cilicicus Baker, an endemic species of the genus Galanthus L. (Amaryllidaceae), is distributed in southern Turkey mainly in the province of Içel [1]. Galanthus species are known to possess Amaryllidaceae alkaloids with interesting chemical structures and biological activities [2]. The most well-known alkaloid of this group, galanthamine, has acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity and therefore it is used in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease [3]. In the course of our ongoing phytochemical studies on Turkish Galanthus species, G. cilicicus has been investigated for its chemical profile.The crude alkaloidal extract was obtained from the plant material by classical acid-base extraction procedure [4] and fractionated by column chromatography using chloroform gradually enriched with methanol. As a result, three known Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, tazettine, galanthamine, and haemanthamine were isolated by using column and preparative thin layer chromatography. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods.

Keywords: Galanthus cilicicus, Amaryllidaceae, Galanthamine, Tazettine, Haemanthamine

References:

[1] Davis A.P.(2006) The Genus Galanthus-Snowdrops in the Wild, in Bishop M., Davis A.P., Grimshaw J. (Eds.), Snowdrops, A Monograph of Cultivated Galanthus. Griffin Press Publishing Ltd. Cheltenham.

[2] Unver, N., (2007) Phytochem Rev 6: 125 – 135.

[3] Heinrich, M., Teoh, H.L. (2004)J Ethnopharm 92:147 – 162.

[4] Cordell, G.A. (1981) Introduction to Alkaloids. J. Wiley and Sons Inc., New York.