RESUMEN
To establish a HPLC-ELSD fingerprint for total steroid saponins in herbs of Dioscorea zingiberensis. Welchrom C,8 (4. 6 mm x 250 mm,5 microm) chromatographic column was adopted and eluted with the mobile phase of acetonitrile (A)-water (B) at the flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1. The column temperature was room temperature. The ELSD conditions were as follows: the temperature of drift tube was 90.0 degreeC, the flow rate of carrier gas (N2) was 2. 8 L min-1, and the injection volume was 10 microL. After the detection of 10 batches of samples,the common mode of HPLC-ELSD fingerprint for total steroid saponins in herbs of D. zingiberensis was established for the first time,and 25 common peaks were determined. Among them, 10 peaks were identified by comparing with reference substances. The similarities of 10 batches of herbs were evaluated in the common mode. All of them were higher than 0. 80. This method is so accurate, reliable and highly repeatable that it can provide scientific basis for evaluating and controlling the quality of total steroid saponins in herbs of D. zingiberensis.