[The behaviour of codeine and codeine-6-glucuronide in hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid (author's transl)]

The behaviour of codeine and codeine-6-glucuronide with hydrochloric acid has been investigated. Three methods of hydrolysis were selected; they are often used in routine identification of drugs in urine. With method I (12--13% HCl; 30 min at 100 degrees C) about 53% of codeine-6-glucuronide were not hydrolized. The corresponding values: with method II (20% HCl; 6 min heated azeotrope in open vessel) about 8% and with method III (nearly 5% HCl; 30 min at 100 degrees C) about 83%.