title: Quality evaluation of Radix Astragali through a simultaneous determination of six major active isoflavonoids and four main saponins by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and evaporative light scattering detectors.
abstract: A method, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array and evaporative light scattering detectors (HPLC-DAD-ELSD), was developed to evaluate the quality of Radix Astragali through a simultaneous determination of six major active isoflavonoids and four main saponins. The wavelength at 280 nm was chosen to determine six isoflavonoids: calycosin-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (1), ononin (2), (6alphaR, 11alphaR)-9,10-dimethoxypterocarpan-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (3), (3R)-2'-hydroxy-3',4'-dimethoxyisoflavan-7-O-beta-D-glucoside (4), calycosin (5), and formononetin (6); and ELSD connected after DAD was employed to determine four saponins: astragaloside IV (7), astragaloside II (8), astragaloside I (9), and acetylastragaloside I (10). This assay was fully validated with respect to precision, repeatability and accuracy. The proposed method was successfully applied to quantify the ten components in eleven samples from different localities in China; significant variations were demonstrated in the content of these compounds in the samples from different areas. This simple, rapid, low-cost and reliable HPLC-DAD-ELSD method is suitable for routine quantitative analysis and quality control of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) consisting of bioactive multi-components with different structures such as Radix Astragali.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines and Department of Pharmacognosy, China Pharmaceutical University, No. 24, Tongjia Lane, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Lian-Wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Qing-Tao
authors.initials: QT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Song-Lin
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yu-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liang-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yi
mesh_terms: D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008027:Light; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins