Analyzing Salvia Divinorum and its Active Ingredient Salvinorin A Utilizing Thin Layer Chromatography and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
John D. Jermain, Hiram K. Evans
Journal of Forensic Sciences February 27, 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.00999.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Method development and validation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Salvia divinorum |
| Keywords | Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry Active ingredient Thin-layer chromatography Pharmacology |
| Citations | 32 |
| Key points | Thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry can detect and confirm salvinorin A in Salvia divinorum plant material, distinguishing it from other species. |
Abstract
In recent years, Salvia divinorum has become a major focus by state legislatures throughout the United States looking to prohibit the sale of the psychoactive plant. After researching testing procedures presented in the literature and those employed by crime laboratories throughout the country, it was decided that thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were the methods to use to analyze plant material for salvinorin A. With TLC, salvinorin A was detected from extracted plant material and was easily distinguishable from 13 other Salvia species as well as Cannabis sativa L. (marijuana). When using GC/MS, salvinorin A was best extracted from plant material with chloroform at ambient temperature when using a nonpolar solvent and acetone at ambient temperature when using a polar solvent. By utilizing these techniques, criminalists are now able to confirm the presence of salvinorin A in a submitted plant material suspected to be Salvia divinorum.