Identification of the alkaloids of<i> Galipea officinalis</i> by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Abstract

Galipea officinalis Hancock, a Venezuelan shrubby tree which is acclaimed in folk medicine for its many healing properties, is the only species of the genus to contain tetrahydroquinoline alkaloids. A GC-MS method has been developed in order to analyse the essential oil, hexane and chloroform extracts of the trunk bark of this plant, without prior derivatisation of the alkaloidal components. A study of the MS fragmentation patterns of the components permitted the identification of five new minor quinoline alkaloids together with the known alkaloids. In addition, the method could also be used for the characterisation of alkaloids within the genus Galipea.