[Determination of cichoric acid in Echinacea purpuea].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the natural change rule of active components of E. purpuea by measuring content of cichoric acid.


METHODS
Reverse HPLC method was used.


RESULTS
The maximum cichoric acid content of the roots occured in seedling age of May, and that of the flowers occured in blooming stage of mid July, but cichoric acid in stems was generally low anyway. The maximum content of cichoric acid in the plant above ground occured in the blooming stage of mid July.


CONCLUSIONS
The measuring method of content of cichoric acid is successful and reliable. The optimum stage of harvest in Echinacea purpuea should be guided by natural change rule of cichoric acid content.
Wang
Hong
H
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Liu
Wen-zhi
WZ
Lu
Xiao-lei
XL
Chen
Shi-zhong
SZ
Al
Tie-min
TM
D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D020900:Echinacea / Q000737:chemistry*; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D012621:Seasons; D013386:Succinates / Q000032:analysis*
D002109:Caffeic Acids; D013386:Succinates; C100435:chicoric acid