ABSTRACT
A method is presented for the determination of reserpine and rescinnamine in Rauwolfia serpentina powder or tablets by liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection. The sample is dispersed in CH3OH, 0.5N H2SO4 is added, and the mixture is extracted with five 30 mL portions of CHCl3. The extracts are separated from interfering materials on a Celite-0.1N NaOH column, and the eluates are collected in 50 mL CH3OH. After complete removal of the CHCl3, reserpine and rescinnamine are determined by liquid chromatography on a normal phase column with CH3OH as the mobile phase. Because reserpine and rescinnamine produce a single peak, chromatograms are obtained at different wavelengths. Reserpine is determined at an excitation wavelength of 280 nm and an emission wavelength of 360 nm. Rescinnamine is determined at an excitation wavelength of 330 nm and an emission wavelength of 435 nm. Recovery studies were conducted at 2 different levels to simulate 100 and 50 mg Rauwolfia serpentina tablets. Samples of Rauwolfia serpentina powders and tablets were also examined, and the results were compared with those obtained by the current AOAC official method. The proposed method is applicable to the analysis of ground composites and individual tablets.
Subject(s)
Plants, Medicinal , Rauwolfia/analysis , Reserpine/analogs & derivatives , Reserpine/analysis , Chromatography, Liquid , Spectrometry, Fluorescence , TabletsSubject(s)
Ajmaline/analysis , Plants, Medicinal , Rauwolfia/analysis , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Plant Extracts/analysis , Rabbits , RadioimmunoassayABSTRACT
Thirty two alkaloids were isolated from the stem bark of Rauvolfia caffra and 28 were identified. The alkaloids represented corynane (3), strictamine (1), sarpagan (4), akuammicine (2), pleiocarpamine (1), indolenine (1), dihydroindole (6), peraksine (3), heteroyohimbine (2), hydroxyheteroyohimbine (2), oxindole (1), 2-acyl-indole (1), suaveoline (3) and yohimbine (2) types. The anhydronium base serpentine was detected but not isolated. The principal alkaloids were ajmaline and norajmaline (dihydroindoles), ajmalicinine and ajmalicine (heteroyohimbines), geissoschizol (E-seco indole) and pleiocarpamine and the heteroyohimbine derived alkaloids were predominantly normal configuration compounds. The biosynthetic and ethnopharmacological significance of the alkaloids is discussed.
Subject(s)
Plants, Medicinal , Rauwolfia/analysis , Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids/isolation & purification , Humans , Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids/pharmacology , South AfricaABSTRACT
The roots of Rauwolfia volkensii yielded 26 alkaloids comprising five main groups--sarpagan, akuammicine, heteroyohimbine with derived oxindole and anhydronium bases, yohimbine with 18-hydroxy-yohimbine and its derived esters, and dihydroindole alkaloids. The principal alkaloids were ajmaline (0.08 per cent) and reserpiline (0.15 per cent), and the reserpine yield (0.0007 per cent) was very low.
Subject(s)
Plants, Medicinal , Rauwolfia/analysis , Secologanin Tryptamine Alkaloids/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
Reserpine-rescinnamine group alkaloids are extracted from Rauwolfia serpentina preparations into a dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-methanol mixture and diluted with 0.5N H2SO4. The chloroform extract of this solution is passed through a 0.1N NaOH-Celite column and then through a silica gel column. The weakly basic alkaloids trapped on the latter column are eluted with a methanol mixture; a portion of the eluate is treated with nitrous acid and the reserpine-rescinnamine content is determined by measuring the intensity of fluorescence of the oxidation product. The following means and standard deviations (11 collaborators) were obtained for the determination of reserpine-rescinnamine group alkaloids in 4 samples of Rauwolfia serpentina (NF reference powder, 100 mg and 50 mg commercial tablets, and a 45 mg synthetic tablet formulation) : 0.174% +/- 0.0112, 0.131% +/- 0.0047, 0.160% +/- 0.0100, and 0.153% +/- 0.0083, respectively.
