GASCHROMATOGRAPHISCHE BESTIMMUNG VON TROPAN–ALKALOIDEN IN ORGANEN VON ATROPA BELLADONNA

Abstract

A gas-liquid–Chromatographie method for the determination of tropan alkaloids in Atropa belladonna is reported. Being very well reproducible and taking little time as well as plant material for the analysis, the method is advantageous especially for serial investigations on individuals. The authors applied the method observing the changes of alkaloid contents in the leaves during one period of vegetation. Among others the following results are enumerated: the maximum atropine level is reached at the stage of ripening fruits, scopolamine content is highest in the very young plant and decreases rather abruptly when the plant starts to grow higher. Comparing leaves of different stages of the same plant it was found that the young leaves at the top of the plant contained the highest alkaloid level with much scopolamine, whereas the old leaves at the bottom were very poor as well in total alkaloids as in the scopolamine share of the mixture. It is possible to differentiate root extracts from leaf extracts because of cuscohygrine that occurs only in the roots.