PURIFICATION OF THE ALKALOID LYCORINE AND SIMULTANEOUS ANALYSIS OF ASCORBIC-ACID AND LYCORINE BY MICELLAR ELECTROKINETIC CAPILLARY CHROMATOGRAPHY

The pyrrolophenanthridine alkaloid lycorine has frequently been used a s a specific inhibitor to help elucidate the function of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in a wide range of biological processes. It was recently reported that this function can be exercised by inhibiting the activit y of L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase, the terminal enzyme of asc orbic acid biosynthesis, although working with the purified enzyme, we have been unable to repeat this result. Here, we present a procedure for the purification and analysis of lycorine by high-performance liqu id chromatography from two Crinum species and describe for the first t ime a method that allows the simultaneous analysis of ascorbic acid an d lycorine in tissue extracts of Crinum asiaticum by micellar electrok inetic chromatography.