Alkaloids and organic acids content of eight Fumaria species

The isoquinoline alkaloids adlumiceine, adlumidiceine, coptisine, corytuber ine, cryptopine, fumaricine, fumariline, fumaritine, fumarophycine, O-methy lfumarophycine, palmatine, parfumine, protopine, sinactine, stylopine, and N-methylstylopine were determined by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography in Fumaria agraria F. capreolata, F. densiflora, F. muralis , F. officinalis, F. parviflora, and F. vaillantii. Organic acids, namely c itric, coumaric, ferulic, fumaric, malic, 3-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid (and its methylester) were identified by gas chromato graphy-mass spectrometry. The total content of phenolic constituents was qu antified by a colorimetric method using a phosphomotybdic-phosphotungstic r eagent. The chemotaxonomic significance of the results is discussed. (C) 19 99 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.