ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>A RP-HPLC method was developed for simultaneous determination of bigelovin, ergolide and tomentosin in Inula hupehensis.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>An Agilent C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) was used for separation at 40 degrees C. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-water, and the flow rate was 1.2 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was set at 210 nm.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The method has good linearity in the ranges of 0.01792-0.1792 g x L(-1) (r =0.9999) for bigelovin, 0.0424-0.4240 g x L(-1) (r =0.9996) for ergolide, and 0.044 8-0.4480 g x L(-1) (r = 0.9996) for tomentosin. The average recoveries of bigelovin, ergolide, and tomentosin were 98.5%, 98.2%, 98.4%, with the RSD of 1. 3%, 1.3%, 1.7%, respectively. The results demonstrated that there was a significant difference in the contents of three sequterpene lactones among the tested Inulae Flos.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results indicated that the present RP-HPLC method is simple, quick and accurate, and can be used for the quality control of I. hupehensis, especially for the authentication of Inulae Flos.</p>