Changes in content of benzophenanthridine alkaloids in three species of the family Papaveraceae during the vegetation period

Some species of the family Papaveraceae, especially Dicranostigma lactucoides (HOOK.f.et THOMS), Macleaya microcarpa (Willd.), and Stylophorum lasiocarpum (Oliv.), are known by their high content of quarternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids (QBA) in roots. Many papers deal with biological activity of the main QBA sanguinarine and chelerythrine [1]. On the other hand, knowledge about the effects of minor QBA is very poor [2]. We monitored the content of five QBA sanguinarine (SA), chelerythrine (CHE), chelirubine (CHR), chelilutine (CHL), and macarpine (MAC) in roots of the named species during the vegetation period using RP-HPLC. The aim was to determine the best period for the collection of plants and subsequent isolation of QBA. Methanol extracts were prepared for analysis. The Phenomenex reverse phase C-12 column Synergy^TM MAX-RP was used and mobile phase consisted of heptanesulfonic acid (0.01M) and triethanolamine (0.1M) in redestilled water, pH 2.5 (H₃PO₄) acetonitrile gradient 25–60% during 30 minutes. Detection was perfomed at 280 nm. The amount of QBA had sinusoidal character for all tested species. For D. lactucoides, which is a biannual plant, the highest content of QBA was determined in May of the second year of cultivation (1.99% for SA, 3.43% for CHE and 0.31% for CHR). In M. microcarpa (perennial plant), the QBA content culminated in May (0.73% CHE and 0.46% SA) and June (0.23% CHR, 0.14% CHL, and 0.20% MAC). In S. lasiocarpum (perennial plant), the highest amount of CHE, CHR, CHL, and MAC (0.08%; 0.07%; 0.01% and 0.17%) was found in August and of SA (0.13%) in September. According to these results, M. microcarpa is a suitable source of minor QBA, while the content of SA and CHE is highest in D. lactucoides.

References: [1] Dvorak, Z. et. al. (2006) Heterocycles 68 (11): 2403–2422. [2] Slaninova, I. et al. (2001) Cell biology and Toxicology 17: 51–63.