title: Determination of (S)(-)-cathinone by spectrophotometric detection.
abstract: Previous studies on the Khat plant (Catha edulis, Celastraceae) illustrated the importance of using freshly harvested young shoots and leaves such that cathinone, the principle active component and Schedule I controlled drug contained within the plant, could be suitably isolated and identified. The purpose of this work was to develop a quantitative analytical technique for the determination of cathinone. The proposed method is based on treating the reductant cathinone with copper(II)-neocuproine reagent in sodium acetate-buffered medium followed by measuring the absorbance of the copper(I)-neocuproine complex at 455 nm. The calibration plot is linear in the range 0.08-25 micrograms ml-1 with a detection limit of 0.08 microgram ml-1. The precision of the method, expressed as the relative standard deviation, is 1.35% for 10 micrograms ml-1 cathinone. Good recoveries have been obtained in applying the method to the analysis of cathinone in Khat leaves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: al-Obaid
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: al-Tamrah
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Aly
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alwarthan
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis*; D002021:Buffers; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000032:analysis*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D004355:Drug Stability; D010618:Phenanthrolines / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D013053:Spectrophotometry / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D002021:Buffers; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D010618:Phenanthrolines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; C023665:cathinone; D003300:Copper; C002701:neocuproine