title: TLC densitometric method for screening of lycopsamine in comfrey root (Symphytum officinale L.) extracts using retrorsine as a reference compound.
abstract: Due to severe toxicity of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, their quantification in medicinal products is very important. The idea of this research was to use retrorsine as a surrogate reference compound instead of lycopsamine reference or lycopsamine isolated from comfrey. A method for the analysis of lycopsamine in extracts of comfrey roots was developed and validated, employing thin layer chromatography, derivatisation with Dann-Mattocks reagent followed by densitometric analysis. The new method showed linearity within 0.70 to 7.0 μg of lycopsamine per application of 10 μL of a solution. It has also been proven to be specific and precise (repeatability RSD 2-4 % within the plate). The method was successfully employed for quantification of lycopsamine in comfrey root and comfrey root medicinal products such as ointments.
authors.forename: Damjan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Janeš
authors.forename: Samo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kreft
mesh_terms: D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods*; D020844:Comfrey / Q000737:chemistry*; D003720:Densitometry / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012015:Reference Standards
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids; C018336:indicine; C003300:retrorsine