A RAPID HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD FOR THE SEPARATION OF THE ALKALOID PRECURSOR L-TYROSINE AND 6 TETRAHYDROISOQUINOLINEALKALOIDS OF PAPAVER-SOMNIFERUM

A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed for the qualitative and quantitative determination of L-tyrosine and s ix common tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids (papaverine, noscapine, san guinarine, morphine, codeine and thebaine) of Papaver somniferum. The reversed phase HPLC method yields baseline separation of the alkaloids in 20 min and is achieved using a simple H2O: MeOH linear gradient. S ilanol effects commonly associated with the separation of such strongl y basic compounds were minimized by the addition of the amine modifier , triethylamine, to the mobile phase.