Description
Dragendorff’s reagent is a chemical solution commonly used in the detection of alkaloids, a group of naturally occurring nitrogenous compounds with pharmacological effects. It is composed of a mixture of potassium bismuth iodide (KBI3) and acetic acid or hydrochloric acid. When Dragendorff’s reagent is added to a sample suspected of containing alkaloids, it forms characteristic precipitates or color changes, indicating the presence of alkaloids. Dragendorff’s reagent is frequently employed in qualitative analysis techniques, such as spot tests, for alkaloid screening in plant extracts and pharmaceutical formulations.