The isoquinoline alkaloids adlumiceine, adlumidiceine, coptisine, corytuberine, cryptopine, fumaricine, fumariline, fumaritine, fumarophycine, O-methylfumarophycine, palmatine, parfumine, protopine, sinactine, stylopine, and N-methylstylopine were determined by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography in Fumaria agraria F. capreolata, F. densiflora, F. muralis, F. officinalis, F. parviflora, and F. vaillantii. Organic acids, namely citric, coumaric, ferulic, fumaric, malic, 3-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid (and its methylester) were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The total content of phenolic constituents was quantified by a colorimetric method using a phosphomotybdic-phosphotungstic reagent. The chemotaxonomic significance of the results is discussed. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.