The HPLC determination of the content of magnoflorine in Epimedium alpinum L.

The aporphine alkaloid magnoflorine, known as a constituent of Asian Epimedium species, was isolated for the first time from the wild growing European species, Epimedium alpinum L. Identification was done by comparison with literature data. The HPLC method was applied for the determination of the content of the alkaloid in methanolic extracts of plant material. The underground part of E. alpinum contains 1–2 % of magnoflorine, while its content in methanolic extracts was 9.2–11.8 %. The aerial part of the plant contains less alkaloid (0.06–0.12 %), while the magnoflorine content in methanolic extracts of the aerial part was 0.4–0.8 %. Probably, the high content of magnoflorine in the methanolic extracts of underground parts of E. alpinum influences its dose-dependent cytotoxic activity (300 mg/ml; 39 % survival of cells in an experimental K562 cell culture).