PURIFICATION AND QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF VERATRIDINE AND CEVADINE BYHPLC

As part of a study to determine the variation in the effectiveness of commercial pesticide formulations of ester steroidal alkaloids from sa badilla (Schoenocaulon officinale Grey) seeds in the integrated pest m anagement of citrus, a method to isolate and measure large quantities of alkaloids from natural starting materials was needed. The addition of the solvent modifier sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) to a previously p ublished HPLC method greatly improved peak resolution by minimizing pe ak tailing. The use of the non-ester alkaloid papaverine as an interna l standard permitted quantification of sabadilla alkaloids by HPLC, an d this modified method was then used to monitor the breakdown of cevad ine and veratridine, the two most abundant sabadilla alkaloids, in aqu eous solutions as a function of time and pH.