Study on effect of danshensu and protocatechuic aldehyde on degradation of salvianolic acid B / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To develop a method for the quantitative determination of several salvianolic acids by HPLC and investigate the influence of danshensu and protocatechuic aldehyde on the degradation process of salvianolic acid B (SaB). Methods: HPLC method was applied to quantitative analysis on four components in the degradation sample of SaB. HPLC-MS method was applied to tentatively characterizing the structure of the degradation products. The effect of danshensu and protocatechuic aldehyde on the degradation of SaB were found out by the analysis of chromatogram and mass spectra of degradation samples. Results: Nine degradation products were found in the degradation samples of SaB, including danshensu, protocatechuic aldehyde, isomers of SaB, lithospermic acid, and its isomers. Protocatechuic aldehyde had stronger protective effect on SaB compared to danshensu at the same mass concentration. Additionally, the peak area of lithospermic acid isomers I and II increased when the initial concentration of protocatechuic aldehyde was increased. Conclusion The mild acidity of protocatechuic aldehyde might account for its stronger protective effect on SaB, and the connection between protocatechuic aldehyde and lithospermic acid isomers I and II might relate to the change of reaction balance.