Microwave-assisted extraction of alkaloids in Lycoris radiata using ionic liquids solution

The application of ionic liquids aqueous solutions as solvents in the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique was developed for the extraction of lycorine, lycoramine and galanthamine from Lycoris. Effects of different ionic liquids and the concentration of selected ionic liquids on MAE were investigated, and tradition organic solvent and extraction techniques were compared. The optimal MAE conditions were that the solvent was 1. 5 mol/L 1-buthyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [bmim] Cl solution, the ratio of liquid/solid (mL: g) was 15: 1, the extraction temperature was 80 degrees C and time was 10 min. Under these MAE conditions, the yields of lycorine, lycoramine, galanthamine, were 2. 730, 0. 857 and 0. 179 mg/g respectively. This proposed method was a good, rapid and environmentally-friendly alternative technique to extract and analyze alkaloids in lycoris as compared with traditional extraction technique.