Hydrophilic-Interaction Chromatography with UV Detection for Analysis of Strychnine and Brucine in the Crude Seeds of Strychnos nux-vomica and Their Processed Products

TLDR: An easy and rapid method based on hydrophilic-interaction chromatography has been developed and validated for measurement of two major alkaloids, strychnine and brucine, in Strychnos nux-vomica plant seeds and preparations as mentioned in this paper.

Abstract: An easy and rapid method based on hydrophilic-interaction chromatography has been developed and validated for measurement of two major alkaloids, strychnine and brucine, in Strychnos nux-vomica plant seeds and preparations. The seeds were processed in different ways. Separation was performed at ambient temperature on a carbohydrate column with acetonitrile–water 90:10 (v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1. Detection was at 254 nm. Calibration plots were linear over the range 0.1–200 μg mL−1 for both compounds. Average recoveries of strychnine and brucine from spiked samples were 99.9 and 98.5%, respectively.