STUDIES ON THE ALKALOIDS OF AMARYLLIDACEAE——Ⅱ.A NEW METHOD FOR THE ISOLATION OF PSEUDOLYCORINE AND SEARCH OF PLANTS RICH IN LYCORINE

1. By the following procedure pseudolycorine was isolated from 6 species of Lycoris and 5 species of Narcissus plants: the alkaloid was precipitated with ammonium reineckate, the precipitate dissolved in dilute acetone and the solution passed through Zcrolit 225 (H form). The alkaloid was then eluted with 4N ammonium hydroxyd solution. Several solvent systems were found useful in detecting small amounts of pseudolycorine by paper chromatography. 2. Twenty-four species of Amaryllidaccous plants were investigated, and the following 4 species were found rich in lycorine: Leucojum vernum L. 0.53%; Leucojum aestivum L. 0.46%; Narcissus incomparabilis Mill. 0.33; Lycoris aurea Herb. 0.20%.