Antiproliferative amaryllidaceae alkaloids isolated from the bulbs of Sprekelia formosissima and Hymenocallis x festalis

Planta Med. 2002 May;68(5):454-7. doi: 10.1055/s-2002-32068.

Abstract

Seven alkaloids were isolated from Sprekelia formosissima, and five from Hymenocallis x festalis. Tazettine, lycorine, haemanthidine and haemanthamine were evaluated for antiproliferative and multidrug resistance (mdr) reversing activity on mouse lymphoma cells. Lycorine, haemanthidine and haemanthamine displayed pronounced cell growth inhibitory activities against both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cell lines, but did not significantly inhibit mdr-1 p-glycoprotein. Thus, the tested alkaloids are apparently not substrates for the mdr efflux pump. Assays for interactions with DNA and RNA revealed that the antiproliferative effects of lycorine and haemanthamine result from their complex formation with RNA.

Publication types

  • Letter
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Alkaloids / isolation & purification
  • Alkaloids / pharmacology*
  • Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids*
  • Aniline Compounds / chemistry
  • Aniline Compounds / isolation & purification
  • Aniline Compounds / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / drug effects
  • Dioxoles / chemistry
  • Dioxoles / isolation & purification
  • Dioxoles / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple
  • Leukemia L5178 / drug therapy
  • Leukemia L5178 / pathology
  • Magnoliopsida*
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nucleic Acid Denaturation / drug effects
  • Phenanthridines / chemistry
  • Phenanthridines / isolation & purification
  • Phenanthridines / pharmacology
  • Plant Stems / chemistry
  • RNA, Transfer / chemistry
  • RNA, Transfer / drug effects
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / drug effects
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / metabolism
  • Verapamil / pharmacology

Substances

  • 3-epimacronine
  • 8-demethylmaritidine
  • Alkaloids
  • Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids
  • Aniline Compounds
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Dioxoles
  • Phenanthridines
  • pretazettine
  • ismine
  • trispheridine
  • hemanthidine
  • hemanthamine
  • tazettine
  • DNA
  • RNA, Transfer
  • Verapamil
  • lycorine