Seasonal variation of colchicine content in Colchicum brachyphyllum and Colchicum tunicatum (Colchicaceae)

• Published in: Natural product research 2006-10, Vol.20 (12), p.1121-1128
• Main Authors: Alali, Feras Q., El-Alali, Abdullah, Tawaha, Khaled, El-Elimat, Tamam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: (−)-Colchicine; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Colchicaceae; Colchicine - analysis; Colchicine - chemistry; Colchicum; Colchicum - chemistry; Colchicum brachyphyllum; Colchicum tunicatum; HPLC; Jordan; Jordan medicinal Plants; Molecular Structure; Plant Structures - chemistry; Seasons
• ISSN: 1478-6419; 1478-6427
• DOI: 10.1080/14786410600857504

As part of our continuing investigation of Jordanian Colchicum species, (−)-colchicine content in C. brachyphyllum Boiss. & Haussk. ex Boiss and Colchicum tunicatum Feinbr (Colchicaceae), growing wild in Jordan, was determined during different growth stages. Using external reference standard, a reverse-phase gradient photo-diode array high performance liquid chromatography (PDA-HPLC) method was adapted. Underground parts in both species and during different growth stages, always showed higher (−)-colchicine content than the above ground parts. In C. brachyphyllum total (−)-colchicine content of underground parts during flowering stage was found to be about 0.15% (wt/wt), while that of aerial parts was only about 0.04% (wt/wt). In C. tunicatum total (−)-colchicine content of underground parts was found to be 0.12% (wt/wt), and 0.13% (wt/wt) during flowering and vegetating stages, respectively, while that of aerial parts was only about 0.04% (wt/wt) and 0.02% (wt/wt), respectively. In C. tunicatum, stems, roots and unripe seeds are the main storages of (−)-colchicine at flowering, vegetating and seeding stages, respectively, while in C. brachyphyllum, corms are the main storage of (−)-colchicine at flowering and seeding stages.