Lycorine: From Extraction and Synthesis to Formulation Development—Research Challenges and Advances in Pharmacological Mechanisms and Clinical Translation

Lycorine, a natural alkaloid derived from plants of the lycoris genus, has attracted considerable attention in antiviral, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory research due to its distinctive chemical architecture and broad-spectrum bioactivities. However, the ongoing refinement of therapeutic strategies and the growing challenge of drug resistance underscore the need for a systematic evaluation of its pharmacological potential and current progress in pharmaceutical development. This review summarizes extraction methodologies and synthetic strategies for lycorine, analyzing existing challenges and potential directions for optimization in its synthesis. Furthermore, recent advances in formulation design and delivery systems utilizing lycorine are highlighted, followed by a focused discussion of its pharmacokinetic profile and multitarget mechanisms of action, with particular emphasis on its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antitumor, antiviral, and antifibrotic activities. Despite its notable therapeutic promise, the clinical translation of lycorine remains limited by complex synthetic routes, incompletely elucidated mechanisms, and relatively slow progress in formulation development. The necessity for continued research into scalable synthesis, mechanistic clarity, and advanced delivery systems is critical to overcome these barriers and unlock the full potential of lycorine in future clinical applications.