Narcissus and Daffodil

Table 6.4 Continued
Alkaloid Activity References
69 galanthamine
(contd.)
* Is over 90% bioavailable after
oral administration and has a
plasma elimination half-life of
approximately 6 hours.
* Nausea and vomiting are the
most commonly reported
adverse effects; liver toxicity has
not been reported to date
* Energix®, a preparation
composed of galanthamine,
increases endurance during
exercise and delays the onset
of fatigue
* Used in a pharmaceutical
composition for treatment of
alcoholism
* Cytotoxic against non-tumoural
LMTK cells
* Produces poisoning of digestive,
respiratory, neuromuscular
and central nervous systems
70 epigalanthamine * More hypotensive and less
toxic than galanthamine
* Anticholinesterase activity
lower than galanthamine
Bazhenova et al., 1971
Ghosal et al., 1985b
Thomsen et al., 1990
Yamboliev et al., 1988
Zakirov and Umarova, 1971
Weniger et al., 1995
72 norgalanthamine * Cytotoxic against Molt 4 lymphoid
and LMTK fibroblastic cell lines
74 N-formyl- * Moderate cytotoxic against Weniger et al., 1995
norgalanthamine Molt 4 lymphoma and HepG2
hepatoma
* Cytotoxic against non-tumoural
LMTK cells
7 galanthine * Analgesic
CHCD, 1996
* Hypotensive
Ghosal et al., 1985b
* Weak cytotoxic against Molt 4
lymphoid cells
Weniger et al., 1995
49 haemanthamine * Hypertensive
Báez and Vázquez, 1978
* Cytotoxic against a variety of Codina et al., 1992b
cultured cells (in vitro)
Furusawa et al., 1980
* Cytotoxic against fibroblastic Ghosal et al., 1985b
LMTK cells
Jiménez et al., 1975b
* Moderately active against Molt 4 Jiménez et al., 1976
lymphoid cells
Lin et al., 1995
* Moderately active against
Rauscher viral leukaemia
* Inhibitor of HeLa cell growth
* Inhibitor of protein synthesis,
blocking the peptide bond
formation step on the peptidyl
transferase centre of the 60S
ribosomal subunit
Weniger et al., 1995