Chemical Characterization of Narcissus poeticus from Sirente -Velino (Apennines - Italy): Galantamine Accumulation and Distribution of Allergenic Compounds in the Flower.

Species of Narcissus (family Amaryllidaceae) are a potential source for large-scale extraction of alkaloids and fragrances. The bulbs typically accumulate a large number of alkaloids, including galantamine, a benzazepine alkaloid proven to be a cholinesterase inhibitor and which is used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The presence of galantamine in N. poeticus L. collected in Abruzzo (Italy) was assessed and several levels of alkaloid were found in all parts of the plant (flower, stem, bulb and root) and not only in the bulb. The amount of galantamine obtained was tested by using two different extraction solvents. Extraction of N. poeticus absolute from the flowers was also performed, as this product is an important floral note in perfumery, and the distribution of allergenic compounds in the coronas and in the tepals was assessed. Moreover, the in vitro propagation of N.:Poeticus was tested as it may be a valuable resource from which to produce biomolecules, as an alternative to chemical synthetic processes.

Volatile fingerprints of artemisinin-rich Artemisia annua cultivars by headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry.

The cultivar Anamed (A3) is a hybrid of Artemisia annua with a high content of the secondary metabolite artemisinin, a well-known antimalarial drug. Here we report for the first time the volatile profile of fresh leaves of this hybrid in comparison with that of Artemisia annua L. wild-type species. Evaluation and comparison of the volatile profiles of A. annua genotypes with different content in artemisinin were carried out by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) that was performed on fresh leaves of the plants under investigation using a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber. The chromatograms obtained from hybrids with a high content of artemisinin (A. annua cv. Anamed A3 and A. annua cv. Artemis F2) reveal the total absence of artemisia ketone, one of the major and characteristic compounds of the wild-type A. annua L., along with a significantly lower variety of volatile compounds. In conclusion, HS-SPME coupled with GC/MS is a very useful, non-destructive and efficient method to describe the volatile pattern of Artemisia annua cultivars. It represents a rapid screening method for the evaluation of volatile biomarkers like artemisia ketone, whose absence is typical of artemisinin-rich A. annua cultivars.