Application of Quantitative Analysis of Multi-components by Single Marker in Quality Control of Chinese Medicinal Materials Containing Saponins / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Due to the multi-component and multi-target features of Chinese medicinal materials (CMMs),multiple active components could be more reasonably represent the quality of CMMs compared with the single-component QC mode. However,it is still difficult to apply the multi-component QC mode because of the instability, high cost and inaccessibility of reference substances of CMMs. Saponins are glycosides with aglycones of triterpene or spirostane and widely distributed in plants. Saponins are also the major active constituents of many CMMs,with multi-effects of inhibiting tumors,regulating the immune system,inhibiting virus,preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. Therefore,rational and effective control of the quality of CMMs containing saponins is of great significance for ensuring the clinical safety and efficacy of such CMMs and related products. The quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) can use only one reference substance to achieve the simultaneous monitoring of multiple components in CMMs,and make up the weaknesses of multi-component QC mode, and has been well developed and validated in the QC and evaluation of CMMs for more than ten years since it was put forward. And now it has been widely used in the QC of CMMs containing saponins. Based on the investigation of QAMS theory and literatures in the past decade,studies on the QC of CMMs and related preparations containing triterpenoid saponins and steroidal saponins by QAMS were summarized and discussed systematically. In addition,some possible problems were analyzed and interpreted,in order to provide reliable basis for more QC of CMMs and reference for the continuous use and in-depth development of this method in the research of CMMs.