Analysis of tropane alkaloids with thermospray high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

ABSTRACT

A thermospray high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for analysis of hyoscyamine and scopolamine in plant cell culture samples is described. The alkaloids were separated on a polymeric reversed-phase column with an alkaline ammonium acetate buffer-acetonitrile eluent. Selected-ion recording of the protonated molecular ions was used for quantitation of the compounds. The compounds were fragmented by discharge-assisted ionization and elevated thermospray capillary temperatures or ion repeller potentials.