Simultaneous determination of reserpine, yohimbine and ajmalicine in the extract of Rauvolfia rootstocks, branches and leaves by HPLC

Abstract

Rauvolfia [Rauvolfia verticillata (Lour) Baill] is a standing indeciduous shrub of Rauwolfia. L, Apocynaceae, which was frequently used for cure of numerous diseases, like hypertension, headache, courbature, wind-heat, snake bite diseases, etc. A simultaneous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was developed and validated for the determination of the contents of reserpine, yohimbine and ajmalicine in Rauvolfia rootstocks, branches and leaves. HPLC analysis was successfully conducted by using a Hypersil-C18 column, gradient elution with the mobile phase methanol and water contained 0.05% triethylamine, and with a flow rate of 1 mL/min, detected at 280 nm. The developed HPLC method was precise, with relative standard deviation < 2.8%. The recoveries for the three indole alkaloids in Rauvolfia was between 98.3 and 100.5%. The average contents of reserpine, yohimbine and ajmalicine in root were more than branch and leaf. They were 135.6 ± 0.5, 176.5 ± 0.2, 118.5 ± 0.1 (μg/g), respectively. The method was simple, accurate and reproducible and can provide a quantitative basis for the quality control of Rauvolfia.