Some species from genus Galanthus as sources of alkaloids with therapeutic value

Abstract

Introduction. The genus Galanthus includes about 20 species. Six species of g. Galanthus are the most analyzed in the whole scientific laboratories according alkaloids content, including species G. nivalis, G. elwisii, and G. plicatus, which grow in the spontaneous flora of Moldova. The Galanthus species require complex biological and chemical studies for rational use in medicinal purposes. Aim of the study. To highlight the therapeutically value of alkaloids from different species of genus Galanthus. Materials and methods. The bibliography and databases on Galanthus species according chemical composition and medicinal use were evaluated. Results. In the spontaneous flora of Moldova there are 3 species: G. nivalis (with large distribution), and other 2 with limited area, introduced in the Red Book of Moldova – G. elwesii (Bujac steppe) and G. plicatus (commune Capaclia, Cantemir). In Moldova, the only chemical study on the whole plant of G. plicatus was carried out by professor A. Nistreanu. In the last 2 decades, the world bibliography shown, that G. plicatus and the other 2 species (G. nivalis and G. elwesii) were objects of chemical researches according alkaloid content. The evaluated literature demonstrated that, there are known 6 alkaloids (galanthamine, nivalidine, tazettine, lycorine, hippeastrine and narwedine) from G. nivalis. Also, 6 alkaloids (lycorine, tazettine, hordenine, trisferidine, narwedine, hippeastrine) were mentionated in G. plicatus. In G. elwesii were found 12 alkaloids (galanthamine, sanguinine, leucotamine, methylleucotamine, galanthine, demethylgalanthamine, (E)-N-feruloyltyramine, 9-O-demethylhomolycorine, narwedine lycorine, hordenine, and hydroxyvittatine). Intense researches elucidated, that alkaloids from Galanthus have many pharmacological actions: galanthamine is used in treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease, which block the neurodegenerative processes; hordenine – in kidney diseases with diuretic proprieties; haemanthamine and tazettine – in cancer (leukemia and carcinoma) as inducer of apoptosis in tumor cells, lycorine – in pathogen diseases as antiviral and antifungal remedies. Conclusions. Alkaloids are compounds with rich therapeutic uses and those from Galanthus offer new possibilities of efficient treating some difficult diseases.