RESUMO
OBJECTIVE:To establish a method for content determination of steroidal saponin in Allium sativum. METHODS:Pre-column derivatization of steroidal saponin was performed by using the derivatization agent of nitro-benzoic acid-chlorine. And HPLC was conducted to determine the content of steroidal saponin. The column was Shimadzu VP-ODS with mobile phase of aceto-nitrile-water mixed solution(80:20,V/V)at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min,the detection wavelength was 254 nm,the column temper-ature was 25 ℃,and the injection volume of 20 μl. RESULTS:The linear rang of sarsasapogenin was 0-1.25 mg/ml(r=0.999 0);RSDs of precision,stability and reproducibility tests were lower than 2%;recovery was 93.1%-96.8%(RSD=1.56%,n=6). CON-CLUSIONS:The method is simple,stable with good separation,and can be use for the content determination of steroidal saponin in A. sativum.