Fingerprint study on Xiaochaihu Granules-medicinal materials based on peak pattern matching / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To establish Xiaochaihu Granules multi-wavelength fingerprints and conduct Bupleuri Radix-preparations peaks matching studies for further limitation validation of a single wavelength fingerprint quality evaluation. Methods: RP-HPLC was adopted to estimate the similarity on three batches of Xiaochaihu Granules from three manufacturers and three batches of Xiaochaihu Granules by laboratory-made (total 12 batches), and make peaks match raw herbs under the same conditions; the contents of indicator ingredients in different batches of Xiaochaihu Granules were determined by RP-HPLC method. Results: There was few differences of the fingerprint similarities among the three batches of Xiaochaihu Granules both from the same manufacture and laboratory-made at the wavelength of 210, 254, 280, and 323 nm. Among the fingerprints of Xiaochaihu Granules from different manufactures, the similarities of Xiaochaihu Granules only from manufacture A and of the three batches of Xiaochaihu Granules from the laboratory-made were over 0.9 under the four wavelengths. The similarities from the other two manufacturers were over 0.9 except 280 nm, but less than 0.9 at the wavelength of 210, 254, and 323 nm. At 210, 254, 280, and 323 nm wavelengths, peak pattern matching showed that Xiaochaihu Granules had 5, 5, 2, and 18 matching peaks with Bupleuri Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Codonopsis Radix, and Scutellariae Radix, respectively. The contents of glycyrrhizic acid and baicalin in Xiaochaihu Granules from different manufactures were significantly different. Saikosaponins a and d, ferulic acid, atractylenoide III, and lobetyolin were not detected in the formulations. Conclusion: There are great limitations to estimate quality of Xiaochaihu Granules with the fingerprint similarity at 280 nm. Multi-wavelength similarity evaluation combined with the peak matching of fingerprint for medicinal materials and preparations and quantitative determination of active components could provide a reference for the comprehensive quality evaluation of preparations for Chinese materia medica.