Transformation of Alkaloids of the Colchicine Type in Leaves and Flowers ofColchicum autumnaleandC. byzantinum

Abstract

It was found that the so far described variations in the content of colchicine alkaloids in leaves and flowers of Colchicum autumnale L. and C. byzantinum Ten. are due to enzymatic O-demethylation and degradation of colchicine (I), N-deacetyl-N-formylcolchicine (XI), and demecolcine (XVII) during drying and storing of the plant material. A simplified method was elaborated to separate the neutral, phenolic, basic, and basic-phenolic fractions of tropolone alkaloids.

New Colchicinoids from a Native Jordanian Meadow Saffron, Colchicum brachyphyllum: Isolation of the First Naturally Occurring Dextrorotatory Colchicinoid

“…The filtrates were combined and dried under reduced pressure to yield five MeOH extracts (272 g of corms, 119 g of flowers, 167 g of leaves, 8.5 g of roots, and 66 g of stems), and each extract was fractionated based on the method of S ˇima ´nek and co-workers. 48,49 Briefly, these extracts were dissolved in 5% acetic acid and extracted with light petroleum (fraction A), and then, the aqueous acid residues were reextracted three times with diethyl ether (fraction B). The acidic aqueous residues were made alkaline (pH 9) with 10% NH 4-OH followed by extraction three times with CH2Cl2 (fraction C).…”

“…Extracts were generated via infusion by soaking the plant materials (900 g of corms, 238 g of flowers, 500 g of leaves, 111 g of roots, and 135 g of stems, all dry weights) in MeOH at room temperature for 6 days with intermittent shaking, followed by filtration to separate the marc; this process was repeated six times for 36 total days of extraction. The filtrates were combined and dried under reduced pressure to yield five MeOH extracts (272 g of corms, 119 g of flowers, 167 g of leaves, 8.5 g of roots, and 66 g of stems), and each extract was fractionated based on the method of Šimánek and co-workers. , Briefly, these extracts were dissolved in 5% acetic acid and extracted with light petroleum (fraction A), and then, the aqueous acid residues were re-extracted three times with diethyl ether (fraction B). The acidic aqueous residues were made alkaline (pH 9) with 10% NH 4 OH followed by extraction three times with CH 2 Cl 2 (fraction C).…”

Colchicinoids fromColchicum crocifoliumBoiss. (Colchicaceae)

“…(Colchicaceae) was processed into three fractions (A-C) according to the schemes of Santavy, Preininger, Simanek, and Potesilova (1981) and Sutlupinar et al (1988). A high concentration of colchicinoids was noted in the TLC of fraction C by distinctive yellow spots after spraying with 5% phosphomolybdic acid in EtOH.…”

“…Dried plant material (537.7 g) was extracted with MeOH in a Soxhlet apparatus for 3 h. The solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure to yield a MeOHextract (148.1 g), which was fractionated based on the methods of Santavy et al (1981) and Sutlupinar et al (1988). Briefly, the MeOH-extract was dissolved in 5% acetic acid, extracted with light petroleum (Fraction A) (12.0 g), after which the aqueous acid residue was re-extracted three times with diethyl ether (Fraction B) (1.2 g).…”

Agronomical and chemical variability of Colchicum autumnale accessions

“…Inter-specific variation was found between Solanum laciniatum and S. aviculare (Crush, 1973) and Colchicum autumnale and C. bysantinum (Santavy et al 1981). Inter-accession or inter-varietal variation was found in Catharanthus roseus (Rao et al 1993), Papaver somniferum (Bernath et al 1988), Atropa belladonna (Dhar and Bhat 1982), Datura metel and D. stramonium (Dethier et al 1993).…”