Alkaloids Analysis of Habranthus cardenasianus (Amaryllidaceae), Anti-Cholinesterase Activity and Biomass Production by Propagation Strategies

ZARAGOZA-PUCHOL, DANIEL; ORTIZ, JAVIER; ORDEN, ALEJANDRO A.; SANCHEZ, MARIANELA; PALERMO, JORGE; TAPIA, ALEJANDRO; BASTIDA, JAUME; FERESIN, GABRIELA E.

MOLECULES

MOLECULAR DIVERSITY PRESERVATION INTERNATIONAL-MDPI

Lugar: Basel; Año: 2021 vol. 26 p. 192 - 210

1420-3049

Plants in the Amaryllidaceae family synthesize a diversity of bioactive alkaloids. Some ofthese plant species are not abundant and have a low natural multiplication rate. The aims of this work were the alkaloids analysis of a Habranthus cardenasianus bulbs extract, the evaluation of its inhibitory activity against cholinesterases, and to test several propagation strategies for biomass production. Eleven compounds were characterized by GC-MS in the alkaloid extract, which showed a relatively high proportion of tazettine. The known  alkaloids tazettine, haemanthamine, and the epimer mixture haemanthidine/6-epi-haemanthidine were isolated and identified by spectroscopic methods. Inhibitory  cholinesterases activity was not detected. Three forms of propagation were performed: bulb propagation from seed, cut-induced bulb division, and micropropagated bulbs. Finally, different imbibition and post-collection times were evaluated in seed germination assays.The best propagation method was cut-induced bulb division with longitudinal cuts into quarters (T1) while the best conditions for seed germination were 0-day of post-collection and two days of imbibition. The alkaloids analyses of the H. cardenasianus bulbs showed that they are a source of anti-tumoral alkaloids, especially pretazettine (tazettine) and T1 is a sustainable strategy for its propagation and domestication to produce bioactive alkaloids.