ABSTRACT
Objective To establish an UV spectrophotometry method for the determination of total flavonoids in Oxytropis falcata Bunge. Methods Using rutin as comparison，three coloration methods were used to find the optimal assay method, optimize the color conditions and take a systematic methodological investigation. Results The best color development method is aluminum chloride-sodium acetate color method. Using the test product without adding color reagent as a reference, 0.3 mol/L aluminum chloride solution 3.0 ml, 1.0 mol/L sodium acetate 4.0 ml, placed for 16 min, the sample was detected at 277 nm wavelength by AlCl3-CH3COONa reaction by using rutin as reference. The rutin content had a good liner relationship in the range of 8.8 to 44 μg/ml (r=0.9996), and the average recovery rate was 100.91% with RSD of 2.426%. Conclusion This method is simple, rapid, accurate and sensitive and can be used as a method for the determination of total flavonoids from Oxytropis falcata Bunge.