Bupleurum Quality Standards, Polygonum, Forsythia, Medlar Improve Research

Bupleuri Radix、vinegar-baked Bupleuri Radix、Polygoni Multiflori Radix、Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata、Forsythia fructus and Lycii fructus are commonly used Chinese medicine decoction pieces. Their quality standards were recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia (version of2010) with qualitive identification and assay of index component. However, there are still some deficiencies need to be improved, such as economic and simplicity. On the basis of their present quality standards, a systmetic research work was carried on by following methods to improve the quality control level. This research work was partly supported by the research project "Quality evaluation and standard research of fifty kinds of the commonly used Chinese medicine decoction pieces in Beijing" from Beijing Science and Technology Committee.1. The establishment of TLC identification by C18The TLC identification of six herbal pieces was established by using C18instead of Silica gel for the fist time. The results showed that the C18TLC identification not only remains the existing identification content, but also increases the new information, compared with Silica gel TLC. The information from the C18TLC identification is basically as same as HPLC. Because of the advantages of TLC, such as easy operate, short time, and more samples in one plate, the C18TLC can be used for the rapid test for drugs.2. The study of HPLC fingerprintThe HPLC fingerprints of Bupleuri Radix、vinegar-baked Bupleuri Radix、Polygoni Multiflori Radix、Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata and Forsythia fructus were established. The HPLC-ESI-MS/MS was used to identify the chemical constituent of main characteristic peaks in the fingerprints. There are6characteristic peaks in the fingerprint of Radix Bupleuri and vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri. The similarity of14batches of Radix Bupleuri and10batches of vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri was higher than0.97. There are19characteristic peaks in the fingerprint of Polygoni Multiflori Radix, the similarity of12batches of Polygoni Multiflori Radix was higher than0.89; There are10characteristic peaks in the fingerprint of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata, the similarity of10batches of Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata was higher than0.90.The HPLC fingerprints of green Forsythia fructus and grown Forsythia fructus were established dividually and there are19characteristic peaks in the fingerprint of grown Forsythia fructus, the similarity of9batches of grown Forsythia fructus was higher than0.85, here are15characteristic peaks in the fingerprint of green Forsythia fructus, the similarity of5batches of was higher than0.94. 3. The simultaneously determination of multiple ingredientsThe methods for content determination of Saikosaponin a, b2, c, d in Radix Bupleuri and vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri; Gallic acid, Catechin,2,3,5,4-Tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside, Emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside, Emodin, Physcion in Polygoni Multiflori Radix and Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata; Rutin, Forsythoside A and Forsythin in Forsythia fructus; Betaine in Lycii fructus by HPLC were established individually. Validation results showed that those methods were precise, stable, accurate and good reproducibility for the quality control.4. The content test of water decoctionThe content test of compounds from these decoction pieces in the water decoction were carried on by using the above methods. The compounds tested included Saikosaponons from Radix Bupleuri and vinegar-baked Radix Bupleuri; Gallic acid, Catechin,2,3,5,4’-Tetrahydroxy-stilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside, Emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside, Emodin, Physcion in Polygoni Multiflori Radix and Polygoni Multiflori Radix Praeparata and Rutin, Forsythoside A and Forsythin from Forsythia fructus. The results showed that, the contents of above compounds had considerable changes in water decoction. It is suggested that the quality of pieces should be linked with clinic condition.