RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To develop an HPLC method for the quantification of six active components in three species (Swertia davidi, S. nervosa and S. mussotii) .</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The determination was performed on a Hypersil BDS colunm (4. 6 mm x 200 mm, 5 microm). Acetonitrile and 0.5% phosphoric acid solution were used as the mobile phases with a gradient elution. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The UV detection wavelength was at 240, 274, 325 and 334 nm. The column oven temperature was at 25 degrees C.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Six components were separated commendably in 60 minutes. The calibration curves of swertiamarin, gentiopicroside, norswertianolin, swertianolin, demethylbellidifolin and bellidifolin were in good linearity over the range of 0.520-20.8, 0.202-8.06, 0.107-4.28, 0.097-3.86, 0.094-3.77, 0.101-4.02 microg, respectively (r = 0.999 9). The average recoveries were 98.7%, 98.1%, 98.3%, 98.8%, 98.1% and 98.6%, respectively, and the RSD were less than 3.0% (n = 6).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method is accurate,simple and reproducible, and can be used to control the quality of Swertia.</p>