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Planta Med 2004; 70(9): 871-873
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-827239
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Alkaloids from Leucojum vernum and Antiretroviral Activity of Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids

László Szlávik1 , Ágnes Gyuris1 , János Minárovits1 , Peter Forgo2 , József Molnár3 , Judit Hohmann4
  • 1Johan Béla National Centre for Epidemiology, Microbiological Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
  • 2Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
  • 3Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
  • 4Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
Further Information

Publication History

Received: February 23, 2004

Accepted: June 13, 2004

Publication Date:
23 September 2004 (online)

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Abstract

Three alkaloids, lycorine, homolycorine and 2-O-acetyllycorine, were isolated from the bulbs of Leucojum vernum (Amaryllidaceae) and identified by means of NMR analysis. The alkaloids obtained from L. vernum and from other Amaryllidaceae species were studied in vitro for HIV-1 replication inhibitory activity on MT4 cells. The cytotoxicity of the compounds in uninfected cells was evaluated by using the MTT assay and the [3 H]thymidine incorporation test. The antiviral activities were determined by means of the p24 antigen assay and solid-phase reverse transcriptase testing. The results demonstrate that trisphaeridine, lycorine, homolycorine, and haemanthamine possess high antiretroviral activities (IC50 = 0.4 - 7.3 μg/mL), accompanied by low therapeutic indices (TI50 = 1.3 - 1.9).

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Dr. Judit Hohmann

Department of Pharmacognosy

University of Szeged

6720 Szeged

Hungary

Fax: +36-62-545-704

Email: hohmann@pharma.szote.u-szeged.hu

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