A total of 31 commercial samples of Phellodendri cortex (Rutaceous plant) which originated from Phellodendron amurense Ruprecht, P. chinense Schneid, P. wilsonii Hayata et Kanehira, and P. amurense Rupr. var. sachalinense Fr. Schm., respectively, were collected from the Taiwan and Japan herbal markets. The contents of five quaternary alkaloids (berberine, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, phellodendrine and magnoflorine) in these samples were determined by capillary electrophoresis. It was found that P. wilsonii (4.10 +/-0.78 %) and P.amurense var. sachalinense (4.18 +/-1.03 %) were superior to P. amurense (1.55 +/- 0.72%) and P. chinense (1.54 +/- 0.60 %). Berberine was the major alkaloid in almost all samples. In comprised about 80% of the total alkaloids in the first two of the four herbs named above, but only about 40 % in the latter two. From the data on the chemical analysis of the herb's constituents, as well as the herb's texture and color, we can postulate the origin and quality of a herb drug.
