Evaluation of Chemical Compositions of Lycoris radiata at Different Development Stages and Cultivation Sites in South Korea

Abstract

Alkaloid contents of Lycoris radiata at different cultivation places and time periods were investigated. Eleven known alkaloid compounds such as lycoricidine, hipppeastrine, O-demethyllycoramine, lycoricidinol, galanthine, lycorine, lycorenine, lycoramine, galanthamine, homolycorine and pretazettine and seven unknown compounds were identified and quantified from the bulbs of L. radiata. Total alkaloid contents ranged from 1.58 to 5.55 mg/g dry weight (DW) in one year old and 1.64 to 4.79 mg/g DW in two year old L. radiata. Lycorine was noticed as the highest concentration of the identified alkaloid compound (1.43 mg/g DW). Moreover 25 % of the total alkaloid contents were contributed by lycorine in each time period.