Simultaneous quantification of twelve bioactive components in San-Huang-Xie-Xin-Tang by HPLC

A simple and reliable high-performance liquid chromatographic method with ultraviolet detection (280 run) has been developed for the simultaneous analysis of 12 bioactive components in San-huang-xie-xin-tang (SHXX7), a traditional Chinese medicine containing Rhei rhizome, Coptidis rhizome and Scutellariae radix. A relatively simple extraction procedure was employed and optimised, and separation of the components was obtained within 1 h using a reversed-phase column under gradient elution with acetenitrile and a buffer containing 0.01 M sodium 1-pentanesulphonate (pH 3). The lower limit of detection for the analytes ranged from 25 to 75 ng/mL. The correlation coefficients associated with each calibration curve were greater than 0.99. The precision and accuracy of the method ranged from 1.0 to 10.5% at low concentration levels, 0.8 to 8.7% at medium levels and 1.2 to 5.8% at high levels. In commercial products of SHXXT, baicalin and berberine were present in the highest amounts with levels up to 4.0 and 3.3%, respectively, in one sample. The HPLC method was able rapidly and efficiently to analyse constituents in crude herb and traditional Chinese medicinal preparations containing Rhei rhizome, Coptidis rhizome and Scutellariae radix. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.