Determination of dihydroergotoxine alkaloids by gas-liquid chromatography

A gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) method has been developed for the separation and determination of dihydroergotoxine alkaloids (dihydroergocristine, dihydroergokryptine and dihydroergocornine), involving quantitative decomposition of the compounds catalysed by a metal surface. GLC was carried out with 2% Dexsil 300 on Gas-Chrom Q as stationary phase, with temperature programming. For the quantitation, phenylbutazone was used as the internal standard.