CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS OF ISOQUINOLINE ALKALOIDS FROM CHELIDONIUM-MAJUS L

The determination of six different isoquinoline alkaloids from Chelido nium majus (leaves and roots) using capillary electrophoresis is descr ibed. Analyses were performed on fused silica capillaries with 66 mM p hosphate buffer at pH 2.4 containing 10% methanol. The analytes were m onitored by on-line ultraviolet (UV) detection to identify sanguinarin e, chelerythrine, berberine and chelidonine. Both coptisine and DL-sty lopine were isolated by semi-preparative high performance liquid chrom atography (HPLC), and their structure assessed by UV and mass spectrom etry. Capillary electrophoresis is confirmed as a useful complementary technique to HPLC.