A comparative investigation on alkaloid composition in different populations of Eschscholtzia californica cham.

The alkaloid compositions of different populations of Eschscholtzia californica Cham. grown under controlled conditions and of some samples of the commercial drug have been examined using a reversed-phase HPLC method. Seven compounds have been detected (O-methylcaryachine, protopine, α-allocryptopine, eschscholtzine, californidine, sanguinarine and chelerytrine). In all samples the major components were the pavine alkaloids eschscholtzine and californidine, although their content varied to a large extent (from 1 to 10-fold). The commericial drug contained a significantly lower concentration of alkaloids.