ABSTRACT
Isoquinoline alkaloids, biogenetically derived from tyrosine, represent a manifold class of compound within the plant kingdom. Opium alkaloids are medicinally and economically by far the most important alkaloids from this group. Therefore, their analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) will be discussed separately in the subchapter Opium Alkaloids. HPLC methods for the other alkaloids derived from tetrahydroprotoberberine will be reviewed in the subchapter Protoberberine Alkaloids and Derivatives.
