Purification of colchicine, its photoisomer(s), and some congeners by paper and thin-layer chromatography

Abstract

Four paper and four thin-layer chromatographic systems were studied for their ability to separate colchicine from its photoisomer(s) and other congeners. The best thin-layer systems were found to be chloroform: acetone:diethylamine (5:4:1) and chloroform:diethylamine (9:1) on silica gel. The most useful paper chromatographic systems were found to be benzene:acetic acid:water (10:4:10) and benzene:hexane:acetic acid:water (6:4:3:7) run for 4 hours. The importance of identifying and quantitating the light-induced degradation products of colchicine in radioisotopic studies on the metabolic fate of this drug in the human subject was stressed in these studies. The methods described were used to provide rapid and reproducible techniques for the measurement of colchicine in plasma, urine, and white blood cells.