[Quality assessment of Coptis chinensis in China].
OBJECTIVE
To study the dynamic change of the ingredients of Coptis chinensis and evaluate the quality of the crude drugs from main producing areas.


METHODS
The ingredients of samples from Shizhu and Wuxi counties in Chongqing, Hongya and Dayi counties in Sichuan, Zhenping county in Shanxi, Lichuan county in Hubei were analyzed for berberine, coptisine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and the total alkaloids by HPLC and UV methods.


CONCLUSIONS
The contents of measured indexes were mostly highest in 5-years-old C. chinensis. Considering factors such as the yield, it is reasonable to harvest the 5-years-old C. chinensis. There are minor differences in condents of C. chinensis from different areas, all tested samples met the pharmacopoeial standards. It is concluded that the general quality of C. chinensis was good and acceptable.
Zhong
Guo-yue
GY
Chongqing Academy of Chinese Materia Medica, Chongqing 400065, China. zgy@cqacmm.com
Huang
Xiao-ping
XP
Ma
Kai-sen
KS
Chen
Shi-jiang
SJ
Qin
Song-yun
SY
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis*; D001599:Berberine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D001600:Berberine Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D039323:Coptis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D017753:Ecosystem; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011786:Quality Control; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
D000470:Alkaloids; D001600:Berberine Alkaloids; C055785:jatrorrhizine; C034384:coptisine; D001599:Berberine; C005413:palmatine