Alkaloids of ATROPA CAUCASICA KREYER and Their Biological Activity

  The goal of presented research was a study on tropane group alkaloids from the above-ground and underground organs of Atropa caucasica Kreyer (Solanaceae) grown in Georgia, and evaluation of their cytotoxic activity. Alkaloid-containing total substances were obtained by liquid-demand extraction from the air-dried comminuted of the above-ground and underground organs of Atropa caucasica Kreyer with NH4OH (12%) pre-elution and delay, we treated the alkaloids with chloroform. The yield of total alkaloids was: From the above-ground organs - 0.28%, from the underground organs - 0.54%, calculated to the air-dried material of the plant. As a result of phytochemical studies on the base of FC-MS and TLC experiments, has been determined the dominated alkaloids of the tropane group in the total sum of purified alkaloids were: atropine and hyoscyamine in above-ground organs and atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine in underground organs. In vitro evaluation of cytotoxic activities according to Resazurine and Hoechst experiments demonstrated that the total alkaloid sum obtained from above-ground organs revealed a weak cytotoxic activity against colon adenocarcinoma (DLD-1) and normal human skin fibroblasts (WS-1), and the total alkaloid sum obtained from the underground organs, exhibited a moderate cytotoxic activity against cell cultures of A-549 (lung adenocarcinoma) and DLD-1 without any significant toxicity against normal human skin fibroblasts (WS-1).