Publication at Faculty of Science |
2018
Abstract
The alkaloids in two historical pharmaceutical relics of ipecacuanha, dated to the eighteenth century, were analyzed by HPLC-MS. The conditions of extraction and separation were optimized.
Four alkaloids (emetine, cephaeline, protoemetine, and O-methylpsychotrine) were found. The content of the main ipecacuanha alkaloids, emetine and cephaeline, in analyzed samples is fairly decreased in comparison with standard current pharmaceutical substance.
O-Methylpsychotrine has been identified as the emetine decomposition product. The identity of the compounds was confirmed by MS2, and the ESI+ fragmentation mechanisms of compounds found have been proposed.