Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gloriosa superba L. (Flame Lily): Micropropagation and in Vitro Production of Colchicine

  • Chapter
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants VI

Part of the book series: Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry ((AGRICULTURE,volume 26))

Abstract

Gloriosa superba L., also known as the flame lily, has a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical areas. The plant has numerous uses as remedies and potions to the local populations of both Africa and Asia. Clewer et al. (1915) found that Gloriosa superba contained the alkaloid colchicine. Preparations of colchicine have been used to cure acute gout. Colchicine is known to inhibit mitosis, interfere with the orientation of fibrils, induce polyploidy, and has been used in the treatment of cancer. Since the discovery of colchicine in Gloriosa, a number of researchers have proposed that Gloriosa could serve as a commercial source of colchicine. Bellet and Gaignault (1985) compared the relative colchicine content of the genera Colchicum (the traditional source of colchicine) and Gloriosa. On a dry mass basis, Colchicum yielded 0.62% colchicine and 0.39% colchicoside, while Gloriosa yielded 0.9% and 0.82% respectively. This supports the argument that Gloriosa can be a commercially viable source of colchicine, provided that it can be propagated at a fast rate.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Apeles Diaz M, Caballero Ruano M (1985) Gloriosa rothschildiana O’Brien as a winter-cut flower crop in the Canary Islands. Communicationes de la III Deunion de Ornamentales. Jornadas Tecnicas Almeria, Spain, Sociedad Espanola de Cienicias Horticolpas 1985, pp 4–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayliss MW (1976) Variation of cell cycle duration within suspension cultures of Daucus carota and its consequence for the induction of ploidy changes with colchicine. Protoplasma 88:279–285

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bellet P, Gaignault J-C (1985) Gloriosa superba as a source of colchicine substances. Ann Pharm Fr 43:345–347

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blade-Font A (1977) New chemistry of colchicine and related compounds. I. Reaction with aliphatic anhydrides leading to achiral compounds. Tetrahedron Lett 34:2977–2980

    Google Scholar 

  • Boger DL, Brotherton CE (1985) Thermal, four-carbon + three carbon cycloaddition reaction of cyclopropenone ketals. Total synthesis of deacetamidocolchiceine: formal total synthesis of colchicine. J Org Chem 50:3425–3427

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boger DL, Brotherton CE (1986) Thermal reactions of cyclopropenone ketals. Application of the cycloaddition reactions of delocalized singlet vinylcarbenes: three-carbon 1,1/1,3 dipoles. An alternate synthesis of deacetamidocolchiceine: formal total synthesis of colchicine. J Am Chem Soc 108:6713–6719

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bricout J, Garcia-Rodrigues M-J, Paupardin C (1978) Action de la colchicine sur la synthèse d’huile essentielle par des tissus de Mentha piperita cultives in vitro. C R Acad Sci Paris 286(D)::1585

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brossi A, Kerekes P (1984) US Patent Applied. 601,314. Chem Abst 103:6576

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant AT (1966) Zulu medicine and medicine-men. C Struik Press, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Carow B (1975) Anomalies in the tubers of Gloriosa rothschildiana. Gartenwelt 75:151–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Carow B (1976) Gloriosa rothschildiana: flower and tuber production. Acta Hortic 64:181–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Carow B (1977) Flower formation in Gloriosa rothschildiana. Acta Hortic 68:59–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Carow B (1979) Seed germination of Gloriosa. Dtsch Gartenbau 33:845–846

    Google Scholar 

  • Carow B (1980a) Storage and sprouting of Gloriosa tubers. Dtsch Gartenbau 35:2200–2202

    Google Scholar 

  • Carow B (1980b) Nitrogen nutrition of Gloriosa. Dtsch Gartenbau 34:458–459

    Google Scholar 

  • Chavadej S, Becker H (1984) Influence of colchicine treatment on chromosome number and growth rate of tissue cultures of Valeriana wallichii DC. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 3:265–272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen CH, Goeden-Kallemeyn YC (1979) In vitro induction of tetraploid plants from colchicinetreated diploid day lily callus. Euphytica 28:705–709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clewer HWV, Green SS, Tutin F (1915) The constituents of Gloriosa superba. J Chem Soc 107:835–846

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Collin HA (1987) Determinants of yield of secondary products in plant tissue cultures. Adv Bot Res 13:145–187

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Currah L, Ockendon DJ (1987) Chromosome doubling of mature haploid brussel sprout plants by colchicine treatment. Euphytica 36:167–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Custers JBM, Bergervoet JHW (1984) Selection for micropropagation ability during the breeding of vegetatively propagated ornamentals. Acta Bot Neerl 33:373

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahlgren RMT, Clifford HT, Yeo PF (1985) The families of the monocotyledons. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Dalton DR (1979) The alkaloids. The fundamental chemistry. Marcel, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Debergh P, Maene LJ (1981) A scheme for commercial propagation of ornamental plants by tissue culture. Sci Hortic 14:335–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dyer RA (1976) The genera of Southern African flowering plants, vol 2. Gymnosperms and angiosperms. Department of Agriculture and Technical Services, Pretoria

    Google Scholar 

  • Eigsti OJ, Dustin P (1955) Colchicine in agriculture, medicine, biology and chemistry. Iowa State College Press, Ames

    Google Scholar 

  • Escher F, Strech H, Ladebusch H (1973) The effect of tuber size on the yield of Gloriosa superba. Gartenwelt 73:460–462

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans DA, Hart DJ, Koelsch PM (1978) A new approach to the synthesis of tropolones: synthesis of colchicine and β-dolabrin. J Am Chem Soc 100:4593–4594

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans DA, Tanis SP, Hart DJ (1981) A convergent total synthesis of ( ± ) colchicine and ( ± ) desacetamidoisocolchicine. J Am Chem Soc 103:5813–5821

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fell KR, Ramsden D (1967) Colchicum. A review of colchicums and the sources, chemistry biogenesis and assay of colchicine and its congeners. Lloydia 30:123–140

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Finnie JF, van Staden J (1989) In vitro propagation of Sandersonia and Gloriosa. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 19:151–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finnie JF, van Staden J (1991) Isolation of colchicine from Sandersonia aurantiaca and Gloriosa superba. Variation in the alkaloid levels of plants grown in vivo. J Plant Physiol 138:691–695

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guri A, Zelcer A, Izhar S (1984) Induction of high mitotic index in Petunia suspension cultures by sequential treatment with aphidicolin and colchicine. Plant Cell Rep 3:219–221

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hahlbrock K, Ebel J, Oaks A, Auden J, Liersch M (1974) Determination of specific growth stages of plant cell suspension cultures by monitoring conductivity changes in the medium. Planta 118:75–84

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi T, Yoshida K, Sano K (1988) Formation of alkaloids in suspension-cultured Colchicum autumnale. Phytochemistry 27:1371–1374

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hegnauer R (1986) Chemotaxonomie der Pflanzen. Birkhauser, Basel

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinz J, Mee GWP (1970) Colchicine-induced polyploids from cell suspension cultures of sugar cane. Crop Sci 10:696–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henrard GEJ (1982) Growth development and dormancy in Gloriosa rothschildiana. Bull Rech Agron Gembloux 17:59–73

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert RB (1985) The biosynthesis of plant alkaloids and nitrogenous microbial metabolites. Nat Prod R 2:163–179

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Herbert RB, Knagg E (1986) The biosynthesis of the phenethylisoquinoline alkaloid, colchicine, from cinnamaldehyde and dihydrocinnamaldehyde. Tetrahedron Lett 27:1099–1102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hrbek J, Santavy F (1962) Substanzen der Pflanzen der Unterfamilie Wurmbaeoideae und ihre Derivate li. Isolierung der Alkaloide vom Colchicintypus aus einigen afrikanischen Arten der Unterfamilie Wurmbaeoideae. Collect Czech Chem Commun 27:255–267

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hussey G (1977) In vitro propagation of some members of the Liliaceae, Iridaceae and Amaryllidaceae. Acta Hortic 78:303–309

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinnersley AM, Dougall DK (1980) Correction between nicotine content of tobacco plants and callus cultures. Planta 149:205–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Komamine A, Sakuta M, Hirose M, Takagi T, Kakegawa K, Ozeki Y (1989) Regulation of secondary metabolism in relation to growth and differentiation. In: Kurz WGW (ed) Primary and secondary metabolism of plant cultures 2. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York pp 49–52

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Krause J (1986) Production of Gloriosa tubers from seeds. Acta Hortic 177:353–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Kurz WGW, Constabel F (1985) Aspects affecting biosynthesis and biotransformation of secondary metabolites in plant cell cultures. CRC Crit Rev Biotechnol 2:105–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Merchant JR, Joshi V (1976) Chemical constituents of Gloriosa superba Linn. (Liliaceae). Indian J Chem B 14:908

    Google Scholar 

  • Murashige T, Skoog F (1962) A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol Plant 15:473–497

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Narain P, Khoshoo TN (1967) An indigenous source of colchicine. Indian J Pharm 29:341–342

    Google Scholar 

  • Narain P, Raina SN (1975) Cytological assay of C-mitotic potency of colchicine obtained from Gloriosa superba L. Cytologia 40:751–757

    Google Scholar 

  • Naveen C, Tarar JL (1988) Studies on callus initiation and growth in Gloriosa superba. Ann Plant Physiol 2:183–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Novak FJ (1983) Production of garlic (Allium sativum L.) tetraploids in shoot tip in vitro culture. Z Pflanzenzücht 91:329–333

    Google Scholar 

  • Ntahomuukiye D, Hakizimana A, Nkiliza J, van Puyvelde L (1984) Determination of colchicine in Gloriosa simplex L. (Liliaceae) from Rwanda (Central Africa). Plant Med Phytother 18:24–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Page YM, van Staden J (1987) Hypoxoside production in tissue cultures of Hypoxis rooperi. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 9:131–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palmer E (1985) The South Africal herbal. Tafelberg, Cape Town

    Google Scholar 

  • Pictet A (1904) The vegetable alkaloids with particular reference to their chemical constitution. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierik RLM (1991) Commercial micropropagation in western Europe and Israel. In: Debergh PC, Zimmerman RH (eds) Micropropagation. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 155–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinol MT, Palazon J, Serrano M (1984) Growth and nicotine content of tobacco callus cultures without organogenesis. Plant Sci Lett 36:219–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pole Evans IB (1931) The flowering plants of southern Africa. Reeve, Ashford

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakuta M, Komamine A (1987) Cell growth and accumulation of secondary metabolites. In: Vasil IK (ed) Cell cultures and somatic cell genetics, vol 4. Academic Press, New York, pp 97–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Santavy F (1980) Chemotaxonomy of plants producing colchicine alkaloids. Acta Hortic 96:111–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarin YK, Jamwal PS, Gupta BK, Atal CK (1974) Colchicine from seeds of Gloriosa superba. Curr Sci 43:87

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sasse F, Heckenberg U, Berlin J (1982) Accumulation of β-carboline alkaloids and serotonin by cell cultures of Peganum harmala L. I. Correlation between plant and cell cultures and influence of medium constituents. Plant Physiol 69:400–404

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava UC, Chandra V (1977) Gloriosa superba Linn. (Kalihari) and important colchicine-producing plant. J Res Indian Med 10:92–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Steyn DG (1934) The toxiology of plants in South Africa together with a consideration of poisonous foodstuffs and fungi. Central News Agency, Johannesburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Subbaratnam AV (1952) Alkaloid constituents of Gloriosa superba L. J Sci Ind Res (India) 11B:446–447

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Subbaratnam AV (1954) Studies on alkaloid constituents of Gloriosa superba L. J Sci Ind Res (India) 13:670–671

    Google Scholar 

  • Thakur RS, Potesilova H, Santavy F (1975) Substances from plants of the subfamily Wurmbaeoideae and their derivatives. Part LXXIX. Alkaloids of the plant Gloriosa superba L. Planta Med 28:201–209

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Verdcourt B, Trump EC (1969) Common poisonous plants of East Africa. Collin, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner H, Hikino H, Farnsworth NR (1988) Economic and medicinal plant research, vol 2. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Watt JM, Breyer-Brandwijk MG (1962) The medicinal and poisonous plants of Southern and Eastern Africa, 2nd edn. Livingstone, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  • Wildman WC, Pursey BA (1968) Colchicine and related compounds. Alkaloids 11:407–457

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshida K, Hayashi T, Sano K (1988a) Colchicine precursors and the formation of alkaloids in suspension-cultured Colchicum autumnale. Phytochemistry 27:1375–1378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshida K, Hayashi T, Sano K (1988b) Colchicoside in Colchicum autumnale bulbs. Agric Biol Chem 52:593–594

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zenk MH, El-Shagi H, Schulte U (1975) Anthraquinine production by cell suspension cultures of Morinda citrifolia. Planta Med 29:79–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmer K (1975) Overcoming rest in Gloriosa tubers. Dtsch Gartenbau 29:1226–1227

    Google Scholar 

  • Zyrd JP (1979) Colchicine-induced resistance to antibiotic and amino-acid analogue in plant cell cultures. Experimenta 35:1168

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NU Research Unit for Plant Growth and Development, University of Natal, 3200, Pietermaritzburg, Republic of South Africa

    J. van Staden

Authors
  1. J. F. Finnie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. van Staden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. A-137 New Friends Colony, 110065, New Delhi, India

    Y. P. S. Bajaj

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Finnie, J.F., Staden, J.v. (1994). Gloriosa superba L. (Flame Lily): Micropropagation and in Vitro Production of Colchicine. In: Bajaj, Y.P.S. (eds) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants VI. Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, vol 26. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57970-7_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-57970-7_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-63420-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-57970-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation