Rescinnamine is an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor used as an antihypertensive drug. It is an vinca alkaloid obtained from Rauwolfia serpentina and other species of Rauwolfia. A method is presented for the determination of reserpine and rescinnamine in Rauwolfia serpentina powder or tablets by liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection. After complete removal of the CHCl3, reserpine and rescinnamine are determined by liquid chromatography on a normal phase column with CH3OH as the mobile phase. Because reserpine and rescinnamine produce a single peak, chromatograms are obtained at different wavelengths. Reserpine is determined at an excitation wavelength of 280 nm and an emission wavelength of 360 nm. Rescinnamine is determined at an excitation wavelength of 330 nm and an emission wavelength of 435 nm.
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