Alkaloids from the bulbs of Lycoris aurea

Two new and ten known alkaloids have been isolated from the bulbs of Lycoris aurea (Amaryllidaceae). The two new compounds, lycosinine A (= [2-(2,3-dihydro-1-methyl-1H-indol-7-yl)-4,5-dimethoxyphenyl]methanol;1) and lycosinine B (=2-(2,3-dihydro-1-methyl-1H-indol-7-yl)-4,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde; 2), were fully characterized by spectroscopic methods. In addition, a plausible biogenesis of homolycorine from 1 and 2 is proposed (Scheme).