Analysis of galanthamine‐type alkaloids by capillary gas chromatography–mass spectrometry in plants

Galanthamine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and galanthamine‐type alkaloids are synthesised in different plants of the family Amaryllidaceae. A capillary gas chromatographic–mass spectroscopic (CGC‐MS) method for the separation of 7 galanthamine type alkaloids, including galanthamine and epigalanthamine, is described in the present paper. A simple method for the routine quantification of galanthamine in plants was developed using pre‐packed columns with diatomaceous earth (Isolute HM‐N), allowing simultaneous preparation of a large number of samples. Galanthamine showed excellent linearity in the range from 50 to 1000 µg/mL and the limit of quantification was 5 µg/mL in total ion current mode and 1.6 ng/mL in selected ion monitoring mode. The recovery of galanthamine was more than 90%. Interday reproducibility (RSD) of the extraction was 2.74%. A method to find and to microextract Amaryllidaceae alkaloids in low‐mass plant samples is also described. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.