PREPARATIVE-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY OF AN EXTRACT OF ALKALOIDS FROM Fumaria officinalis

A strategy has been established for preparative-layer chromatography of the alkaloid fraction extracted from the plant Fumaria officinalis. The extract, obtained by maceration and percolation of ground plant material with 0.5 mol L aqueous acetic acid, was re-dissolved in methanol and fractionated on alumina by column chromatography. Two fractions, containing medium and high-polarity alkaloids, respectively, were used in the experiments. The effects of mass and volume overloading and the mode of sample application (use of an automatic sample applicator and application to the edge of the layer by use of the mobile-phase distributor of the chromatographic chamber) were investigated, as also was the effect of layer thickness on band resolution. The role of derivatisation in the location of the separated alkaloid bands for isolation was also considered.