Opium alkaloids, analysis

Many methods of PC in combination with other methods were developed for opium alkaloid analysis. Three of them are briefly described here ... 

In the first place, the structure of the target molecule is submitted to a rational analysis in order to perceive the most significant structural features, and it may be useful to use different types of molecular models at this point. It should be remembered that a molecular structure has "thousand faces" and finding the most convenient perspective may greatly simplifly the synthetic problem. The synthesis of opium alkaloids, for instance, is much simplified if one realises that they are, in fact, derivatives of benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline (18) (see Scheme 3.8). This was indeed the inspired intuition of Sir Robert Robinson which led to the structural elucidation of morphine (19) and to a first sketch of the biogenetic pathway [22], and later on to the biomimetic synthesis of thebaine 20 [23] [24]. 

Capillary electrophoresis is suitable for use to separate a wide spectrum of both large and small biological molecules. This method was used for analysis of opium alkaloids such as thebanine, codeine, morphine, papaverine and narcotine. 

Dams et al. [19] determined seven different opium alkaloids and derivatives in seized heroin using fast LC-MS analysis. Analytes were separated in 5 min on a monolithic silica column with a gradient elution system and an optimized flow of 5 mL/min. Detection was carried out using a sonic spray ion source [20] a modified ESI source were ionization is achieved using a nebulizer gas at sonic speed instead of applying an electrical field. 

J.L. Janicot, M. Caude, and R. Rosset, Separation of opium alkaloids by carbon dioxide sub- and supercritical fluid chromatography with packed columns Application to the quantitative analysis of poppy straw extracts, J. Chromatogr., 437 351 (1988). 

The opium alkaloids have engaged the interest of scientists since the isolation of morphine by Sertlirner in 1806. The Isolation, characterization and quantification of these alkaloids have been a continuing challenge. Gas chromatography of opium alkaloids has been performed i.a. for the analysis of the alkaloids present in the crude drug itself, especially for the quantitative determination of morphine, as well as for the analysis of opium alkaloids, mainly morphine - and heroin - in biological materials. Most studies have so far been carried out with packed columns, only a limited number with capillary columns. 

For the application of gas chromatography to toxicological analysis, Parker et al.7 studied a series of alkaloids including the main opium alkaloids and some related compounds,... 

Coc,various opium alkaloids,quini-nine.quinidine Procaine,anile-ridine.methapy-rilene Analysis drugs of abuse... 

Coc,various opium alkaloids,caffeine,strychnine, quinine,ephedrine Procaine.ligno-caine, barbiturate, paracetamol Analysis illicit heroin preparations(Fig.7.2)... 

C,opium alkaloids Quantitative analysis opium alkaloids Spherisorb silica,5pm 250x3 CHC13-MeOH-NH4OH(81.5 18 0.5) 32... 

HPLC has been used to try and solve a great number of problems concerning the analysis of opium alkaloids. 

Nobuhara et al. separated opium alkaloids on octadecyl and cyanoalkyl phases using mixtures of acetonitrile and 1% aqueous ammonium acetate (pH 5.8) as mobile phase. Both types of column enabled baseline separation of the major opium alkaloids (Mg. 7.4 and 7.5, TABLE 7.2). However, the cyanoalkyl stationary phase gave the best separation for quantitative analysis. 

Lurie analyzed drugs of forensic interest on octadecyl columns with 0.005 M 1-heptane-sulfonic acid in methanol - water - acetic acid (40 59 l)(pH 3.5) (Table 7.3). The system enabled a simultaneous analysis of acidic, neutral and basic drugs. Among the compounds analyzed were the opium alkaloids (Fig. 7.11). A similar system was applied for the analysis of papaverine in plasma8. ... 

A similar solvent system was also used by Rasmussen et al.51 for the analysis of morphine in organic poppy extracts (Fig. 7.13). The extracts could be analyzed without any purification prior to HPLC analysis. Gimet and Filloux performed analyses on alkaloids -including opium alkaloids - in pharmaceutical preparations, and used a microparticulate silica gel column and diethyl ether or diethyl ether saturated with water as mobile phase. In both cases 0.4% diethylamine was added to the mobile phase (Fig. 7.14). An increase... 

The usefulness of such polar solvent systems in the analysis of opium alkaloids has... 

HPLC ANALYSIS IN THE PURITY CONTROL OF OPIUM ALKALOIDS... 

HPLC ANALYSIS OPIUM ALKALOIDS IN PLANT MATERIAL AND OPIUM ... 

Genetics of Major Opium Alkaloids and Importance of Chemical Analysis... 

Consequent upon the need for genetic assaying of opium alkaloids for germplasm enhancement and for their efficient exploitation in pharmaceuticals, chemical analysis of these alkaloids is imperative, and entails chiefly the isolation and quantification of different alkaloids. The quantitation is further marked by separation (from each other) and measurement of each alkaloid. Further, methods of chemical analysis may be delineated into those specific for plant materials (crops), or classes of chemical compounds (alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, etc.). They may also be categorized in relation to technological and instrumental inputs. However, in this chapter, we present models which are, by and large, not specific to plant material, class of substance, or instrumentation tools. 

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