Analyzing Salvia Divinorum and its Active Ingredient Salvinorin A Utilizing Thin Layer Chromatography and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry
Journal of Forensic Sciences February 27, 2009 John D. Jermain, Hiram K. Evans 32 citations
Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) can reliably detect salvinorin A, the psychoactive compound in Salvia divinorum, distinguishing it from 13 other Salvia species and Cannabis sativa. For GC/MS, chloroform at ambient temperature works best as a nonpolar solvent, and acetone at ambient temperature as a polar solvent. These methods allow criminalists to confirm the presence of salvinorin A in plant material suspected to be Salvia divinorum, supporting legal enforcement against its sale.