High performance liquid chromatographic quantification of salvinorin A from tissues of Salvia divinorum Epling & Jativa-M

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatographic method for the det ermination of salvinorin A, a psychotropic diterpene isolated from the Mexi can sage Salvia divinorum, has been developed. Extracts from several plant collections were examined on a C-18 column with UV detection and isocratic elution with acetonitrile: water (45:55), This assay allowed quantification of salvinorin A in extracts of leaves and stems of S. divinorum and has al so been applied to the screening of related species for the production of s alvinorin A, Levels of salvinorin A in leaves range from 0.89 to 3.70 mg/g dry weight. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.