Alkaloids from three ethnomedicinal Haemanthus species: H. albiflos, H. deformis and H. pauculifolius (Amaryllidaceae)

Three closely-allied ethnomedicinal Haemanthus (Amaryllidaceae) species from the summer-rainfall region of South Africa have been phytochemically investigated and have yielded a range of isoquinoline alkaloids. H. albiflos yielded homolycorine, albomaculine and the O-methyl-lycorenium salt. From H. pauculifolius, homolycorine, the novel paucamine present as a salt, and the quaternary salts of homolycorine, montanine and manthidine were isolated. H. deformis yielded coccinine, montanine and the quaternary salt of manthidine.