Quantitative analysis of lycorine dietary exposure in commercial foods and the Amaryllidaceae family

Lycorine, a prominent alkaloid found in the Amaryllidaceae plant family, is known for its therapeutic properties and potential applications. However, excessive lycorine consumption can cause food poisoning and other detrimental health effects. This study focuses on the quantitative measurement of lycorine levels in commercially available foods and an evaluation of dietary exposure. With regard to this, considerable research has not been conducted to date. For the analysis of lycorine, a Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe (QuEChERS) technique, and a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method were developed, validated, and applied to 56 commercial food samples and 5 Amaryllidaceae plants. The calculated dietary exposure ranged from 0.0 to 3.77 x 10-4 and 0.39-4.72 mu g/kg bw/day in lycorine detected foods and Amaryllidaceae plants, respectively (Allium cepa, Allium hookeri, Allium monanthum, Perilla leaves, and Amaryllidaceae plants). Foods in the Amaryllidaceae family were more likely to contain lycorine, with onion identified as a primary food source contributing to lycorine exposure. These findings help to accurately determine the lycorine content in foods, identify potential benefits and risks associated with the consumption of lycorine-containing foods, and may support the need for further research to establish appropriate guidelines for the consumption of these foods.