ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the HPLC fingerprint of Swertia patens, the most commonly used substitute of Swertiae Mileensis Herba recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, compare the major chemical constituents between the two kinds of herbs, and provide scientific evidence for their identification and quality control. METHODS: HPLC fingerprint method was used to analyze 12 batches of S. patens and 5 batches of Swertiae Mileensis Herba. Similarity evaluation method and clustering analysis method were introduced to compare the HPLC chromatograms of them. RESULTS: The repetition, stability, and precision of the fingerprint method were good. A total of 13 common peaks were confirmed. The similarities of the chromatograms of 17 batches of Swertia were greater than 0.94. CONCLUSION: Different batches of S. patens and Swertiae Mileensis Herba have high similarity. It is possible for S. patens to take place of Swertiae Mileensis Herba.