ABSTRACT
Objective: This study detected the contents of four saponins (hederacoside C, hederacoside D, hederacoside D, α-hederin) from different parts of annual cutting Hedera helix in one year growth cycle and analyzed the dynamic accumulation, in order to provide theoretical basis to harvest Hedera helix L. as medicinal raw materials reasonably. Methods: This study designed a reasonable method of collecting materials and detected the contents of saponins by HPLC. Results: The contents of saponins in different parts were as following order: mature leaf > new leaf > stem > root, and four saponins in different parts had different dynamic accumulations in one year growth cycle. Conclusion: The leaf and stem are the reasonable collecting parts of raw materials which have higher medicinal quality. The reasonable collecting time of leaf is the growth stage in March and stem is from March to November before the beginning of dormancy.