Thin layer chromatography of opium alkaloids with hybrid CTAB-alcohol-water mobile phase and estimation of papaverine. HCI and codeine sulphate in pharmaceutical formulations

Abstract

Cationic and non-ionic surfactant mediated systems have been studied as mobile phases in thin chromatographic studies of opium alkaloids on silica gel G. The effect of surfactant concentration below and above its critical micellar concentration on the mobility of alkaloids was examined. The influence of different alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol) in micellar solutions on the mobility and separation efficiency of alkaloids was assessed. The technique has also been applied for semiquantitative determination of codeine sulphate (2.5-35 μg) and papaverine. HCl (2.5-30 μg) in mixtures as well as in pharmaceuticals. The lower limits of detection of papaverine. HCl and codeine sulphate were 1.0 μg and 1.5 μg, respectively.