Simultaneous assay for six alkaloids in opium, using high-performance liquid chromatography

A method is described for the quantitative determination of morphine, codeine, cryptopine, thebaine, papaverine, and narcotine in opium by high-performance liquid chromatography. The alkaloids are isolated from a dilute acid extract by adsorption on an Amberlite XAD-2 resin column and eluted first with methanol and then with chloroform-methanol (3+1). After solvent removal by reduced pressure evaporation, the alkaloids are redissolved in chloroform-methanol (3+1). The sample solution, plus brucine as an internal standard, is injected onto a Corasil II column and eluted with hexane that is gradient programmed with a solution of chloroform-methanol-diethylamine (100+300+1). The absorbances of the separated alkaloids are continuously monitored at 254 nm, using a flow-through ultraviolet double-beam photometer.