Separation and determination of strychnine and brucine in Strychnos nux-vomica L. and its preparation by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis

J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2006 May 3;41(2):400-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2005.11.036. Epub 2006 Jan 9.

Abstract

An easy, rapid method for simultaneous determination of strychnine and brucine in Strychnos nux-vomica L. and its preparation was developed by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE) without pretreatment for the first time. Optimum separation was achieved with a fused-silica capillary column (50 cmx75 microm i.d.) and a running buffer containing 30 mM ammonium acetate, 1.0% acetic acid and 15% acetonitrile (ACN) in methanol medium. The applied voltage was 30.0 kV. The analytes were detected by UV at 214 nm. The effects of concentration of ammonium acetate, acetic acid and organic modifier on electrophoretic behavior of the analytes were studied. The established method with sophoridine as internal standard was linear in the range of 5-1000 mg/mL for both strychnine and brucine. The extracts of Strychnos nux-vomica and its preparation could be directly injected for determination with recoveries ranging from 94.5 to 104%.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / chemistry
  • Acetonitriles / chemistry
  • Buffers
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / analysis*
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / isolation & purification
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / chemistry*
  • Electrophoresis, Capillary / methods*
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Methanol / chemistry
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Solvents / chemistry
  • Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
  • Strychnine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Strychnine / analysis*
  • Strychnine / isolation & purification
  • Strychnos nux-vomica / chemistry*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Acetates
  • Acetonitriles
  • Buffers
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Solvents
  • brucine
  • Strychnine
  • ammonium acetate
  • Methanol
  • acetonitrile