Reference

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of the main alkaloids in Wu Tou (aconite)

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of the main alkaloids in Wu Tou (aconite). Wang, Muzou; Li, Bailong; Gao, Fengying (Inst. Mater. Med., Chinese Acad. Med. Sci., Beijing, Peop. Rep. China). Yaoxue Xuebao, 18(9), 689-94 (Chinese) 1983. CODEN: YHHPAL. ISSN: 0513-4870. DOCUMENT TYPE: Journal CA Section: 64 (Pharmaceutical Analysis) Aconitine (I) [302-27-2], mesaconitine (II) [2752-64-9] and hypaconitine (III) [6900-87-4] were detd. in the bulb of Aconitum kusnezoffii or A. carmichaeli by high-performance liq. chromatog. (HPLC). A 400-mg powder sample was mixed with 10% NH4OH (0.4 mL), extd. with 10 mL ether and the ext. was evapd. to give a residue, which was mixed with 100 mL b-methylnaphthalene (as internal std.) and MeOH to a final value of 1 mL. A 4-mL soln. was subjected to anal. by HPLC with a column contg. YWG-C18H37 [MeOH-H2O-CHCl3-Et3N (:2:0. 2752-64-9 and 302-27-2 which are cas registry numbers are also used here.1) as mobile phase] for the detn. of I, II and III. Recoveries were 99.3, 97.4 and 97.2% and relative std. deviations were 2.43, 1.29 and 1.54%, resp. A. carmichaeli From various sources contained <0.001-0.094% II, 0.002-0.024% I and 0.001-0.208 III and A. kusnezoffii from various sources contained 0.105-0.578% II, 0.028-0.055% I and 0.019-0.171% III. .

Changes in the alkaloid composition and acute toxicity of Aconitum roots during processing

Changes in the alkaloid composition and acute toxicity of Aconitum roots during processing. Hikino, Hiroshi; Yamada, Chizuko; Nakamura, Kazuko; Sato, Hiroshi; Ohizumi, Yasushi; Endo, Katsuya (Pharm. Inst., Tohoku Univ., Sendai, Japan). Yakugaku Zasshi, 97(4), 359-66 (Japanese) 1977. CODEN: YKKZAJ. DOCUMENT TYPE: Journal CA Section: 63 (Pharmaceuticals) Section cross-reference(s): 4, 11 Raw tubers of A. japonicum and A. carmichaeli, which are the sources of processed aconite roots used widely as an Oriental medicine in Japan, contain mesaconitine (I) [2752-64-9] or hypaconitine (II) [6900-87-4] as the main poisonous principle and are highly toxic. When they are processed at 120.degree. for 40 min (to Kako-bushi), a greater part of the poisonous aconitines is hydrolyzed into the much less poisonous benzoylaconines and, together with the postulated co-occurrence of substances which reduce the toxicity of the aconitines, the tubers become essentially innocuous. The processed aconite roots (Shirakawabushi), prepd. by a variety of procedures (immersion into salt water, coating with lime or ash, and/or some heat tratment), show variation in the alkaloid content and compn., and still exhibit considerable toxicity. The processed aconite roots (Ho-bushi), prepd. by immersion into salt water and heat treatment, have also been shown to be converted into benzoylaconines and further the alkaloid content has been significantly reduced. It is quite probable that, in the processed aconite roots (Ho-bushi), not only the poisonous alkaloids but also other active principles have been much decreased owing to chem. degrdn. by heat treatment as well as by phys. loss due to extn. during processing, which is to be clarified by future pharmacol. examns. When raw tubers are heated at 100.degree. in the presence of water (conditions employed for decoction), the content of the aconitines is gradually diminished and the toxicity reduced rapidly, a fact which confirms that raw tubers become far less toxic by means of sufficient heating under these conditions.