ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE： To improve the method for the content determination of astragaloside Ⅳ in Xiangju granules， and to evaluate the consistency of relevant preparations with the components of original formulation， so as to provide evidence for the modern preparation of TCM compound. METHODS： HPLC-ELSD method was established for the content determination of astragaloside Ⅳ in Xiangju granules， and compared with original standard TLC scanning. Using critrinin， ferulic acid， calycosin glucoside， liquiritin， glycyrrhizic acid， rosmarinic acid， buddleoside and magnoline as control， HPLC method was used to determine the release components of self-made Xiangju granules， Xiangju capsules， Xiangju tablets in water. Fingerprint characteristics chromatogram of different Xiangju preparations and original formulation extract were compared by using Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM （2012 version）. At the same time， HPLC-ELSD method was used to determine and compare the release rate of astragaloside Ⅳ from different Xiangju preparations and original formulation extract in water. RESULTS： Established HPLC-ELSD method was specific. The linear range of astragaloside Ⅳ was 0.13-2.10 mg/mL. RSDs of precision， repeatability and stability tests were all lower than 3％ （n＝6）， and average recovery was 97.66％ （RSD＝1.01％，n＝6）. Average content of astragaloside Ⅳ by this method was 0.398 mg/g （RSD＝1.01％， n＝3）， which had better reproducibility than TLC scanning. The comparative results of characteristic fingerprints showed that the similarity among Xiangju granules， Xiangju capsules， Xiangju tablets and the original formulation dry extract powder was more than 0.850. Average release rates of astragaloside Ⅳ in Xiangju granules， Xiangju capsules， Xiangju tablets and the original formulation extract were 0.392， 0.358， 0.349， 0.389 mg， respectively. Compared with original formulation extract， there was no statistical significance in release rate of astragaloside Ⅳ in Xiangju granules （P＞0.05）， while there was statistical significance in Xiangju capsules and Xiangju tablets （P＜0.01）. CONCLU- SIONS： Established HPLC-ELSD method is accurate and feasible， and is suitable for the content determination of astragaloside Ⅳ in Xiangju granules. The main components of Xiangju granules are consistent with original formulation.