Lycorine
chemical compound
Lycorine is a toxic crystalline alkaloid found in various Amaryllidaceae species, such as the cultivated bush lily (Clivia miniata), surprise lilies (Lycoris), and daffodils (Narcissus). It may be highly poisonous, or even lethal, when ingested in certain quantities. Regardless, it is sometimes used as a component in traditional medicines.
Source
Lycorine is found in different species of Amaryllidaceae which include flowers and bulbs of daffodil, snowdrop (Galanthus) or spider lily (Lycoris). Lycorine is the most frequent alkaloid of Amaryllidaceae.
A 2014 research paper suggested that the earliest diversification of the Amaryllidaceae likely occurred in North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Furthermore, the study concluded that the biosynthetic pathway responsible for lycorine production is the oldest among the various toxin synthesis pathways found within the Amaryllidaceae.
Mechanism of action
There is currently very little known about the mechanism of action of lycorine, although there have been some tentative hypotheses advanced concerning the metabolism of the alkaloid, based on experiments carried out upon beagle dogs.
Lycorine impedes protein synthesis in animal and fungal cells.
It is known that lycorine weakly inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and ascorbic acid biosynthesis.
“Lycorine” enters the record as chemical compound. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Lycorine, chemical and compound can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Lycorine” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Lycorine, chemical and compound provides the most credible route into that argument.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q420314. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2014.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Lycorine”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Lycorine primary sources, Lycorine archive and Lycorine research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Lycorine”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Lycorine” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.