ABSTRACT
Objective To establish an HPLC method for the content determination of morroniside, sweroside, paeoniflorin and loganin of Liuwei Dihuang Decoction and its Cornus Officinalis-Cortex Moutan couple; To discuss the relationship between the whole prescription and the couple of main pharmacodynamic components. Methods The HPLC method was used at Hypersile C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm); the mobile phase consisted of methanol-water (24:76); the detective wavelength was 236 nm; the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min; the column temperature was 30 ℃. Results The linear ranges of morroniside, sweroside, paeoniflorin and loganin were among 0.480–7.680 μg (r=0.999 3), 0.103–1.650 μg (r=0.999 5), 0.120–1.920 μg (r=0.999 1) and 0.227–3.630 μg (r=0.999 7), respectively. The average recovery rates and RSD were 102.79%, 102.29%, 100.99%, 102.48%, and 1.73%, 1.48%, 1.32%, 0.75%, respectively. The contents of morroniside, sweroside and paeoniflorin in Liuwei Dihuang Decoction were slightly higher than that in Cornus Officinalis - Cortex Moutan couple, and the contents of loganin were almost the same. Conclusion The method is simple, stable, accurate and reproducible. It can be used for content determinate of glycosides in Liuwei Dihuang Decoction and Cornus Officinalis-Cortex Moutan couple. Cornus Officinalis-Cortex Moutan couple has the glycosides with tonifying kidney effect of Liuwei Dihuang Decoction.