Simultaneous RP-HPLC quantification of vasicine and vasicinone in Adhatoda vasica and its formulation

Summary

A simple, specific, and precise RP-HPLC method with photodiode-array detection has been developed for simultaneous analysis of the quinazoline alkaloids vasicine and vasicinone, pharmacologically important constituents of Adhatoda vasica. The compounds were separated by use of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in water:acetonitrile 90:10 as isocratic mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min ⁻¹. Under these conditions, plots of integrated peak area against concentration were linear over the ranges 0.05–10.0 μg mL ⁻¹ and 0.5–100.0 μg mL ⁻¹ ( r ² = 0.999 and 0.998) for vasicine and vasicinone, respectively. Mean recovery was 99.06% for vasicine and 98.69% for vasicinone. The method is therefore suitable for routine analysis of vasicine and vasicinone in Adhatoda vasica plants of different varieties and in herbal medicinal products prepared from the plants.