Safdar Atteqa, Iftikhar Sara, Karim Mouguissou, Khan Rashid, Hayat Muhammad Qasim, Afsar Tayyaba, Almajwal Ali, Amor Houda, Razak Suhail
Department of Applied Biosciences, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Medicinal Plants Research Laboratory (MPRL), Department of Plant Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences (ASAB), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 20;15(1):26332. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-11907-w.
In this study, a novel, cost-effective testing tablet was developed for the rapid detection of alkaloids in botanical extracts, herbal formulations, and pharmaceuticals. The relevant chemicals, including alkaloids, were successfully pressed into tablets using dry pressing molding technology. These chemicals were tested with mercury chloride, Potassium Iodide, Picric acid, Iodine, and Magnesium Stearate. Three separate water-soluble tablets were formed to produce respective reagents A, B, and C. The in vitro physicochemical properties of alkaloid testing tablets were established using XRD, FTIR, hardness, and dissolution tests. Additionally, the Botanical samples used to detect the alkaloidal presence were confirmed through literature and GC-MS analysis. Cymbopogon Citratus (Lemon Grass), Stevia Rebaudiana (Stevia), Curcuma Longa (Turmeric), Hippophae Rhamnoides L. (Sea Buckthorn seeds), Caffeine (Panadol Extra), Mentha Piperita (Menthol) leaves were utilised as botanical samples of alkaloidal contents, while water was used as a blank, along with Amodiaquine (Basoquin) as an anti-malarial drug registered by Pfizer as a positive control for the colorimetric testing and comparison of the results. The results showed that the chemical constituents of the tablets were intact, along with the integrity of the chemical testing, respective mechanical strength, and a good shelf life of a year. The proposed water-soluble tablets for the identification of alkaloids in samples of plant sources and pharmaceutical drugs have developed considerable colorimetric detection results and displaying good mechanical strength and stable physicochemical properties which demonstrated their potential application in the field of concerned pharmaceutical, nutraceuticals, and herbal manufacturing, and food processing industries in maintaining the quality and standards of the products.
在本研究中，开发了一种新型、经济高效的测试片剂，用于快速检测植物提取物、草药制剂和药品中的生物碱。使用干压成型技术成功地将包括生物碱在内的相关化学品压制成片剂。这些化学品用氯化汞、碘化钾、苦味酸、碘和硬脂酸镁进行了测试。形成了三种单独的水溶性片剂，以生产各自的试剂A、B和C。使用X射线衍射（XRD）、傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）、硬度和溶出度测试确定了生物碱测试片剂的体外物理化学性质。此外，用于检测生物碱存在的植物样品通过文献和气相色谱-质谱联用（GC-MS）分析得到了确认。柠檬草、甜叶菊、姜黄、沙棘籽、咖啡因（必理通加强型）、薄荷叶片被用作含生物碱成分的植物样品，同时用水作为空白对照，并用辉瑞公司注册的抗疟药物氨酚喹（巴索喹）作为比色测试的阳性对照并比较结果。结果表明，片剂的化学成分完整，化学测试的完整性、各自的机械强度以及一年的良好保质期均得以体现。所提出的用于鉴定植物源样品和药品中生物碱的水溶性片剂产生了相当可观的比色检测结果，显示出良好的机械强度和稳定的物理化学性质，这证明了它们在相关制药、营养保健品、草药制造和食品加工业中维持产品质量和标准方面的潜在应用。
