DETERMINATION OF MESCALINE IN HALLUCINOGENIC CACTACEAE BY ION-INTERACTION HPLC

An ion-interaction HPLC method is developed for the determination of m escaline in some Cactaceae species, namely Gymnocactus beguinii, Echin ocactus polycephalus, Coriphanta radians, Coriphanta scolymoides, Cori phanta palmeri, Lophophora williamsii and Trichocereus pachanoi. Mesca line is characterized by hallucinogenic properties and can be prescrib ed as a psychodrug. The method makes use of a C 18-reversed-phase as t he stationary phase and of a 5.0 mM aqueous solution of octylamine o-p hosphate as the mobile phase, with spectrophotometric detection at 230 nm. The method is sensitive (detection limit of 35 mu g/L) and matrix interference-free. The pretreatment of the sample is performed by gri nding the fresh cactus and extracting the jelly pulp obtained either w ith a methanolic-ammonial solution or an aqueous solution buffered at pH 4.0 (phosphate buffer). The average amounts of mescaline found in L ophophora williamsii and in Trichocereus pachanoi were respectively 2. 55 mg and 3.10 mg/g of fresh cactus.