Development and optimization of a stability indicating method on a monolithic reversed-phase column for Colchicum dry extract

This article presents a method developed on a monolithic reversed-phase column for separation of related alkaloids and degradation products from colchicine in dry extract preparations from Colchicum seeds. Optimization was performed using an optimization software with variation of the pH of the mobile phase and the percentage of organic modifier. This method permits for the first time a fast separation of all alkaloids including colchiceine without prior derivatization or complexation with excellent linearity, precision and low limits of quantitation which makes it a suitable method for stability testing of extracts or drug formulations containing extracts of Colchicum seeds. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.