A MICROMETHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF SOLASODINE INSOLANUMSPECIES

A micromethod is described for the determination of solasodine alkaloid in small samples of leaves and berries of Solanum species grown in Egypt. The glyco–alkaloid is extracted and hydrolyzed by the usual methods. The aglycone is purified and separated by T.L.C. using chloroform–ethanol on silicagel G plates. The purified eluted aglycone is complexed with bromothymol–blue and the colour complex is extracted into benzene and determined colorimetrically using solasodine as a standard. The colour complex is stable for 45 minutes and obeys Beer's low in concentrations from 10 to 200 μg and has its maximum absorption at 400 mμ.