ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop a HPLC method to determine the contents of aristolochic A in aristolochia debilis and Asarun spp..</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Methanol-water-formic acid extracts were separated on an Alltech C18 column with methanol-water-acetic acid (68:32:1) as mobile phase. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). UV detection wavelength was 390 nm. Column temperature was 35 degrees C.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Aristolochic acid A was separated well. The relationship of injection amounts and peak areas was linear (r = 0.9999) the range of 0.12-1.89 microg x g(-1) and the recovery rate was 101.8% (n = 5). 11 samples of aristolochia debilis which bought from different areas in China were determined, and the contents of aristolochic acid A varied from 0.9 to 2 mg x g(-1). The difference of the contents in Asarum spp. was obvious. The highest is 0.35, and aristolochic acid A couldn't be detected in one sample.</p>