Pyrolae herba: A review on its botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology and quality control.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Pyrolae herba is the dried whole plant of Pyrola calliantha H. Andres or Pyrola decorata H. Andres (Pyrolaceae). Pyrolae herba has a long history of medicinal use in China. In ancient times, it was often used to treat pain in tendons and bones, swollen sore, cough, expectoration, bleeding, and other diseases. and was commonly used in ancient times to treat pain in the tendons and bones, swollen sore, cough, expectoration, bleeding and other diseases. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This paper summarizes the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and toxicology of Pyrolae herba, with a view to providing reference for further development and research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The relevant information on Pyrolae herba was collected from the scientific databases including PubMed, CNKI, ScienceDirect, Wiley, Springer, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Baidu Scholar, Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and Flora Republicae Popularis Sinicae, etc. RESULTS: At present, more than 70 compounds have been identified from Pyrolae herba, including flavonoids, phenolic glycosides, quinones, terpenoids, volatile oils and other compounds. Pharmacological studies have shown that Pyrolae herba has a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, reducing blood lipids, protective on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, promoting osteoblast proliferation, and so on. It is used clinically in modern times to treat rheumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bone hyperplasia, sciatica, cervical spondylosis, lumbar spondylosis, acute and chronic bronchitis, mammary gland hyperplasia, tumor, hypertension, coronary heart disease and bleeding diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Pyrolae herba is rich in chemical constituents, diverse in pharmacological activities and abundant in resources, which is widely used in clinics from traditional to modern. However, there is a lack of research on the relationship between chemical constituents and pharmacodynamics of Pyrolae herba. In addition, the existing clinical applications suggest that Pyrolae herba has a certain therapeutic potential in the treatment of hemorrhagic diseases, but there is a lack of information on experimental studies. It is worthwhile to further investigate the Pyrolae herba in depth in the hope of making discoveries and breakthroughs.

Geranium wilfordii maxim.: A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and toxicology.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Geranium wilfordii Maxim. (family Geraniaceae) has been used as a multifunctional ethnomedicine in China for more than 600 years. There have been records about the edible and medicinal use of G.wilfordii since the Ming Dynasty. Nowadays, G.wilfordii is included in Chinese Pharmacopoeia as the Geranii Herba, and has been widely used to treat rheumatism, infectious diseases, dermatosis and tumors. In addition, more than 30 kinds of Chinese patent medicines containing G.wilfordii have been marketed in China for its high medicinal value. AIM OF THE REVIEW: The present review systematically summarized the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and toxicology of G.wilfordii, discussed the development potential of this plant and analyzed the shortcomings of existing research, in order to provide comprehensive scientific basis for the medical application and help interested researchers discover safe and medicinal natural products from G.wilfordii. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a systematic search of G.wilfordii by collecting the publications between 1995 and 2021 via PubMed, Web of Science, SciFinder, Google Scholar, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Wanfang database and other databases using the keywords including Geranium wilfordii Maxim., botany, traditional uses, Chinese patent medicines, patents, preparations, phytochemistry, biological activity, quality and toxicity. Besides, part of the information also came from Chinese botanical and medical monographs. RESULTS: So far, more than 90 components have been identified from G.wilfordii, among which tannins as well as flavonoids have attracted widespread concerns. Due to the multi-components nature, a wide range of beneficial biological activities of G.wilfordii have been demonstrated, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-tumor, antioxidative, hepatoprotective, gastrointestinal protective, immunoregulatory and uric acid-lowering effects. CONCLUSION: A long history of traditional uses and abundant pharmacochemical and pharmacological studies have shown that G.wilfordii is an important natural medicine, which exerts outstanding therapeutic effects especially in anti-inflammation and anti-microorganisms. However, the present researches on the active ingredients and the mechanism of action are not in-depth enough, and more evidence-based scientific studies are needed to lend credence to the traditional uses of G.wilfordii. Additionally, limited toxicology tests cannot objectively evaluate the safety of G.wilfordii, which needs to be further supplemented. Further, more attention needs to be paid to the selection of index components of quality control research.

Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity and quality control of medicinal genus Aralia: A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Aralia, which belongs to Araliaceae family, is mainly distributed in Asia, such as China, Japan and South Korea. It has a long medicinal history and is widely used in the treatment of various diseases, such as hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, bruises, lumps and carbuncles. AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this review is to systematically evaluate the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicity and quality control of main medicinal plants of Aralia, discusses the application of ethnic medicine, modern scientific research and the relationship between them, and put forward some suggestions to promote the further development and utilization of Aralia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The relevant information on Aralia was collected through electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Springer, CNKI and Wanfang), Chinese herbal classics, Ph.D. and M.Sc. dissertations, Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Plant names were verified by "The Plant List" (http://www.theplantlist.org). The literature cited in this review can be traced back to 1878 to 2021. RESULTS: More than 290 chemical constituents have been isolated from the genus Aralia, including triterpenoid saponins, terpenoids, organic acids, flavonoids, polyacetylenes, phenylpropanoids and other constituents. Pharmacological studies have shown that the extracts and compounds of Aralia have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammation, analgesic, anti-tumor, liver protection, protection of cardiovascular and nervous system, regulating substance metabolism, antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidation. CONCLUSIONS: The genus Aralia is not only an excellent traditional herbal medicine, but also a source of bioactive molecules with good application prospects. However, the structure-activity relationship, in vivo activity and action mechanism of its bioactive components need to be further studied. In addition, more toxicological and quality control studies are essential to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Aralia as medicine.

A review of Cremastra appendiculata (D.Don) Makino as a traditional herbal medicine and its main components.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cremastra appendiculata (D.Don) Makino is a herbal medicine with a medicinal history of more than a thousand years in China. It is traditionally used to treat carbuncle, swelling, abscess, fistula, scrofula and scleroma (related to modern lymph node enlargement and various tumors.). AIM OF THE REVIEW: This paper comprehensively reviewed the botany, traditional application, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and quality control of C. appendiculata, discussesed the application of ethnic medicine, modern scientific research and the relationship between them, and put forward some suggestions to promote the further development and utilization of C. appendiculata. We hope to provide a valuable reference for all researchers who are interested in obtaining relevant information about C. appendiculata. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The relevant information on C. appendiculata was collected through published materials and electronic databases, including ancient and modern books, Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Ph.D. and M. Sc. dissertations, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley, ACS, CNKI, Springer, Taylor & Francis, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Baidu Scholar. RESULTS: At present, 190 compounds have been isolated from C. appendiculata, including phenanthrene, dihydrophenanthrene, bibenzyl, flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, aromatics, and other compounds. These compounds have been reported to have a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-angiogenesis, anti-oxidation, etc. Modern pharmacological studies have proved that C. appendiculata has significant anti-tumor activity and has a good therapeutic effect on liver cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, thyroid cancer and other malignant tumors. CONCLUSIONS: C. appendiculata is not only an excellent traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of tumors, but also a source of bioactive molecules with good application prospects. At present, the close relationship between the chemical components and pharmacological activities of C. appendiculata has not been established, and there is a lack of systematic and in-depth research on its anti-tumor components and its mechanism. In addition, it is necessary to establish systematic and effective index components and determination standards of C. appendiculata to better explore its therapeutic potential. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out further research on C. appendiculata.

The Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai, a Chinese Herb With Potential for Development: Review.

Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai is a folk medicine with a long history in China, which has been applied to treat sore throat, abscess, even tumor and so on. Meanwhile, it is also used as tea in some areas. At present, more than 200 chemical compounds have been isolated and identified from it, such as, sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins and so on. Pharmacological studies have already confirmed that the extracts of S. glabra have many effects, such as antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and anti-thrombocytopenia, especially the effects of anti-tumor and anti-thrombocytopenia are confirmed in clinic. Therefore, this paper systematically summarized the traditional uses, botany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicity of S. glabra, in order to provide a beneficial reference of its further research.

Polygonum perfoliatum L., an Excellent Herbal Medicine Widely Used in China: A Review.

Polygonum perfoliatum L. (synonym: Polygonum knotweed L.; Persicaria perfoliata; family: Polygonaceae) is a kind of folk traditional Chinese medicine with a long history of wide use in the treatment of ancient internal, surgical, and gynecological diseases. At present, 80 chemical constituents have been isolated from P. perfoliatum, including flavonoids, anthraquinones, terpenoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, and alkaloids, among which flavonoids are the main active components. Modern studies have shown that P. perfoliatum has pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-liver fibrosis, antitussive and expectorant, anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, and so on. By consulting and sorting out a large number of related literatures at home and abroad in recent years, this paper systematically reviewed the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and quality control of P. perfoliatum, and discussed its development potential in new drug research and clinical application in the future, in order to provide a reference basis for further research and promote the in-depth development and utilization.

Antifungal evaluation of cholic acid and its derivatives on Candida albicans by microcalorimetry and chemometrics.

In the last few years, several fungus infections caused by multidrug-resistant pathogenic agents have got tremendous emergence and prevalence. Screening for novel antifungal agents is in great demand, but traditional microbiological techniques are far from sufficient to meet that requirement. In this study, a non-invasive and non-destructive microcalorimetric method was performed to investigate the antifungal activities of cholic acid (CA) and its derivatives, glycocholic acid (GCA) and taurocholic acid (TCA) on the multiplying and non-multiplying metabolism of Candida albicans. Then, the heat-flow power-time curves of C. albicans growth affected by different concentrations of CA, GCA and TCA were studied by similarity analysis (SA), the quantitative thermokinetic parameters from these curves were analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). By comparing the values of two main parameters, P(2) (the heat-flow output power of the highest peak) and Q(2) (the heat output of the second exponential growth phase) of C. albicans, it could be found that CA had the strongest antifungal activity among the three steroid compounds, which might be used as a potential antifungal agent in the future. This study provided a useful method and idea of microcalorimetry with chemometrics to efficiently evaluate the antifungal activities of bile acid derivatives, giving some references for screening out new antifungal agents. However, it has to be stressed that all these experiments are carried out in vitro and they still require clinical validation.

Screening for novel antibacterial agents based on the activities of compounds on metabolism of Escherichia coli: a microcalorimetric study.

The emergence and prevalence of resistance to antibacterial agents is a pressing threaten for human health. Screening for novel antibacterial agents targeting not only multiplying but also non-multiplying bacteria using appropriate approach is in great demand. In this study, the microcalorimetric method was used to measure the metabolic curves of E. coli growth affected by chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). By analyzing the metabolic curves and thermo- kinetic/dynamic parameters, the antibacterial activities of CDCA and UDCA on multiplying and non-multiplying bacteria of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were evaluated. The results illustrated that, for the multiplying metabolism of E. coli, the two compounds controlled the anaerobic fermentative, with IC(50(1)) (half-inhibitory concentration) of 566.2 µg/mL for CDCA and 573.6 µg/mL for UDCA, respectively, but had no effective action on aerobic metabolism of the bacteria. The action of the two compounds on the non-multiplying metabolism was studied by taking the heat output of E. coli in the stationary phase as the additive guideline of the activity. The values of IC(50(2)) were 543.4 and 547.5 µg/mL, and MSC(50) (minimum stationary-cidal concentration 50) were 532.6 and 537.3 µg/mL for CDCA and UDCA, respectively. So, CDCA had more powerful antibacterial activity on E. coli than UDCA either for multiplying bacteria or non-multiplying metabolism, and they both showed stronger activities on non-multiplying metabolism than on multiplying metabolism of the bacteria. The microcalorimetric method should be strongly suggested in screening novel antibacterial agents for fighting against multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Fingerprint-efficacy study of artificial Calculus bovis in quality control of Chinese materia medica.

For quality control of Chinese materia medica (CMM), an attempt on fingerprint-efficacy study of artificial Calculus bovis was developed in this work. Chemical fingerprints of artificial C. bovis samples from ten different sources were determined by UPLC-ELSD and investigated by similarity analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis. Antibacterial effects of these samples on Escherichia coli growth were measured using microcalorimetry. The fingerprint-efficacy relationship of chemical fingerprint and antibacterial effect of artificial C. bovis were established by multi-linear regression analysis. Our results showed that the sources and places of production of artificial C. bovis had some important influence on the chemical fingerprints and antibacterial effects of this CMM. These artificial C. bovis could be grouped into four clusters according to their chemical fingerprints and antibacterial effects. Compounds cholic acid, taurocholate sodium, hyodeoxycholic acid and one unknown compound might be the major effective components for quality control of this CMM. Fingerprint-efficacy study provided a powerful way and some insight for the quality control of artificial C. bovis and other CCMs.

Quality control for Coptidis rhizoma through the determination of five alkaloids by HPLC-ELSD coupled with chemometrics.

A simple, sensitive and reliable high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with evaporative light scattering detection (ELSD) has been developed for simultaneous determination of five major alkaloids in Coptidis rhizoma. Simultaneous separation of five alkaloids was achieved on a Kromasil C18 analytical column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) with the isocratic elution of acetonitrile : water (30:70, v/v, the pH was adjusted to 6.0 with 0.2 moL L⁻¹ trichloroacetic acid). The drift tube temperature of the ELSD system was set at 115 °C and the nitrogen flow rate was 2.8 L min⁻¹. All the five calibration curves showed a good linear relationship (r² > 0.9991) within the test ranges. The limit of detections and quantifications for the five alkaloids in ELSD were less than 0.88 and 2.73 ng, respectively. The established method was successfully applied to quantify the five ingredients in different C. rhizoma samples and evaluate the internal quality of C. rhizoma samples from various sources by analysing the chemical fingerprints using similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA), which provided a useful basis of overall evaluation of the quality of C. rhizoma.

Microcalorimetric investigation of the toxic action of berberine on Tetrahymena thermophila BF(5).

Tetrahymena thermophila (T. thermophila) BF(5) produces heat through growth and metabolism. By microcalorimetry, the power-time curves of the metabolism of T. thermophila BF(5) at 28 °C were measured and some quantitative parameters were obtained from these curves. Then the action of berberine on this microbe was investigated. Furthermore, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of berberine against T. thermophila BF(5) growth was obtained by tube dilution method. Berberine of different concentrations had various actions on T. thermophila BF(5) growth: a low concentration (25 µg/ml) of berberine began to inhibit the growth of T. thermophila BF(5) and a high concentration (450 µg/ml) of berberine completely inhibited T. thermophila BF(5) growth. The toxic action of berberine could also be expressed as half-inhibitory concentration IC(50), i.e., 50% effective in this inhibition. The value of IC(50) was 175.60 µg/ml, while the MIC of this compound against T. thermophila BF(5) was 20.76 mg/ml. Berberine has strong toxic action on T. thermophila BF(5) growth. The microcalorimetric method for the assay of toxic action is quantitative, inexpensive and versatile.

Comparative study of effects of two bile acid derivatives on Staphylococcus aureus by multiple analytical methods.

The effects of two bile acid derivatives, cholic acid (CA) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) growth were investigated and compared by microcalorimetry coupled with multiple analytical methods. The heat power (HP)-time curves of S. aureus growth affected by CA and DCA were studied by similarity analysis (SA), respectively. Then the quantitative thermo-kinetic parameters obtained from these curves were investigated by the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). By analyzing the two main parameters, growth rate constant k(2) of the second exponential phase and the heat power P(2) of the second highest peak, together with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 10 microg/mL for CA and 20 microg/mL for DCA, it could be concluded that the antibacterial effect of CA was stronger than that of DCA. The existence of alpha-OH at C-7 position of steroid nucleus of bile acid derivatives enhanced the hydrophilicity of compound CA and its inhibitory effect on S. aureus. This study provides a useful method and idea to accurately evaluate the antibacterial effects of bile acid derivatives, which provides some references for screening out new antibacterial agents with high efficacy and low toxicity.

Determination of multicomponent contents in Calculus bovis by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection and its application for quality control.

A fast ultra-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection (UPLC-ELSD) method was established for simultaneous quantification of seven components in natural Calculus bovis (C. bovis) and its substitutes or spurious breeds. On a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C(18) column, seven analytes were efficiently separated using 0.2% aqueous formic acid-acetonitrile as the mobile phase in a gradient program. The evaporator tube temperature of ELSD was set at 100 degrees C with the nebulizing gas flow-rate of 1.9 L/min. The results showed that this established UPLC-ELSD method was validated to be sensitive, precise and accurate with the LODs of seven analytes at 2-11 ng, and the overall intra-day and inter-day variations less than 3.0%. The recovery of the method was in the range of 97.8-101.6%, with RSD less than 3.0%. Further results of PCA on the contents of seven investigated analytes suggested that compounds of cholic acid, deoxycholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid or cholesterol should be added as chemical markers to UPLC analysis of C. bovis samples for quality control and to discriminate natural C. bovis sample and its substitutes or some spurious breeds, then normalize the use of natural C. bovis and ensure its clinical efficacy.

Quantitative and chemical fingerprint analysis for quality control of rhizoma Coptidischinensis based on UPLC-PAD combined with chemometrics methods.

To control the quality of rhizoma Coptidis, a method based on ultra performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (UPLC-PAD) was developed for quantitative analysis of five active alkaloids and chemical fingerprint analysis. In quantitative analysis, the five alkaloids showed good regression (R > 0.9992) within test ranges and the recovery of the method was in the range of 98.4-100.8%. The limit of detections and quantifications for five alkaloids in PAD were less than 0.07 and 0.22 microg/ml, respectively. In order to compare the UPLC fingerprints between rhizoma Coptidis from different origins, the chemometrics procedures, including similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to classify the rhizoma Coptidis samples according to their cultivated origins. Consistent results were obtained to show that rhizoma Coptidis samples could be successfully grouped in accordance with the province of origin. Furthermore, five marker constituents were screened out to be the main chemical marker, which could be applied to accurate discrimination and quality control for rhizoma Coptidis by quantitative analysis. This study revealed that UPLC-PAD method was simple, sensitive and reliable for quantitative and chemical fingerprint analysis, moreover, for the quality evaluation and control of rhizoma Coptidis.

Action of palmatine on Tetrahymena thermophila BF5 growth investigated by microcalorimetry.

Using a thermal activity monitor (TAM) air isothermal microcalorimeter with ampoule mode, the thermo-genic curves of the metabolism of Tetrahymena thermophila BF(5) growth at 28 degrees C were obtained and the action of palmatine on it was investigated. Meanwhile, the biomass change during the process of T. thermophila BF(5) growth coexisted with palmatine was studied by a haemacytometer. The results showed that a low concentration (50 microg/mL) of palmatine began to inhibit the growth of T. thermophila BF(5), and when the concentration of palmatine reached 600 microg/mL, T. thermophila BF(5) could not grow at all. The relationship between the growth rate constant (k) and the concentration c was almost linear with the correlation coefficient of 0.9957, showing the strong toxic action of palmatine on T. thermophila BF(5) growth. The biomass during T. thermophila BF(5) growth decreased obviously by the addition of palmatine at different concentrations. The investigation of biomass agreed well with the results obtained by means of microcalorimetry.

Spectrum-effect relationships between ultra performance liquid chromatography fingerprints and anti-bacterial activities of Rhizoma coptidis.

The fingerprints of Rhizoma coptidis from various sources were established by ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and the anti-bacterial activities of R. coptidis on Escherichia coli (E. coli) growth was studied by microcalarimetry. The UPLC fingerprints were evaluated using similarity analysis (SA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Some quantitative parameters obtained from the thermo-genic curves of E. coli growth affected by R. coptidis were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The spectrum-effect relationships between UPLC fingerprints and anti-bacterial activities were investigated using canonical correlation analysis (CCA). The results showed that close correlation existed between the spectrum-effect relationships. Berberine, jateorrhizine and palmatine in the UPLC fingerprints might be the main anti-bacterial components. The anti-bacterial activities of R. coptidis were related with the main active constituents, along with the production place and the harvesting time of this herb, the latitude and longitude of the place. This work provides a general model of the combination of UPLC and microcalorimetry to study the spectrum-effect relationships of R. coptidis, which can be used to discover principle components of it on bioactivity.

[Methodological study on quality evaluation of rhubarb based on purgative bioassay].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method suitable to determine the purgative biopotency of rhubarb and construct a new quality evaluation pattern of rhubarb. METHOD: A series of factors such as observation index (mass of feces in 10 hours), animal strain (ICR mice), sex (male) and the dose of diphenoxylate complex (50 mg x kg(-1)) was investigated and fixed. The purgative biopotency as well as anthraquinone determination was used to evaluate the quality of different rhubarb samples. RESULT: There wasn't a good linear relationship between the purgative biopotency and content of anthraquinone. The quality difference of rhubarb samples could be well characterized by combination of purgative biopotency determination and anthraquinone determination. CONCLUSION: The purgative biopotency determination can be used in quality control and evaluation of rhubarb.

[Effects of 3 genosides on bio-thermodynamic expression of splenic lymphocyte in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a new method for screening active ingredients of Chinese herbs by determining different bio-thermodynamic effects of 3 genosides on splenic lymphocyte of mice. METHODS: Using a thermal bioactivity monitoring system, the maximum heat output (mHO), average metabolic heat (MH) and constant of decrease rate (DR) of lymphocyte were determined based on the growth metabolic power-time curve, and the outcomes were verified by MIT. RESULTS: The mHO and MH increased and the DR decreased after lymphocytes being exposed to the 3 genosides in different concentrations, arranged upon their potency as genoside Rg3 > genoside Rg2 > genoside Rg1 (merely insignificant effect). MTT showed the same results. CONCLUSION: Heat activity monitoring system could precisely display the different bio-thermal dynamic effects of 3 genosides on splenic lymphocyte.

Direct determination of fourteen underivatized amino acids from Whitmania pigra by using liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection.

A new reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detection (RP-HPLC-ELSD) method has been developed for the direct determination of fourteen amino acids in Whitmania pigra, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Simultaneous separation of these fourteen amino acids was achieved on a Prevail C18 column. Under the condition of gradient elution, the fourteen amino acids were separated within 25 min. The drift tube temperature of ELSD was set at 115 degrees C, and with the nitrogen flow rate of 2.5 l/min. All calibration curves showed good linear regression (r > 0.9975) within test ranges. The recoveries ranged from 94.8% to 104.4%. The limit of detection (LOD) for each compound was more than 20 mg/l at a signal to noise ratio (S/N) of 3. The validated method was successfully applied to quantify fourteen amino acids from Whitmania pigra, which provides a new basis of overall assessment on quality of Whitmania pigra.

[The determination of contents of 8 ginsenosides in extraction of Panax ginseng by HPLC].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method to determine the contents of 8 ginsenosides in extraction of Panax ginseng by HPLC. METHODS: The sample was analyzed on an ODS chromatogram column (Kromasil 250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm), with mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (gradient elution) at flow rate 1.0 ml/min and detection at wavelength of 203 nm. RESULTS: RSD of stability, precision and recurrency was 0.55%-2.26%, 0.85%-1.93% and 0.97%-2.72% respectively. CONCLUSION: This method can be good for the content determination of ginsenoside.