[Determination of ligustilide for quality assessment of Ligusticum chuanxiong].
OBJECTIVE
To assay ligustilide content in the herb of Szechwan Lovage Rhizome (Chuanxiong, CX), which is the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong in order to assess the quality.


METHODS
Ligustilide was quantitatively analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography in 21 CX samples. An Alltima C18 column (4.6 mmx 150 mm, 5 microm) was used as the analytical column. The mobile phase consisted of water and acetonitrile (40:60). The flow rate was maintained at 1.0 mL x min(-1) with the column temperature at ambient conditions. The detection wavelength was set at 350 nm.


RESULTS
The average content of Z-ligustilide in 21 CX samples was found to be 7.40 +/- 3.54 mg x g(-1)(x +/- s, n = 21). Therefore,the content of Z-ligustilide in CX should not be less than 0.66% (calculated on the dried basis).


CONCLUSIONS
The overall analytical procedure is rapid and accuracy which is considered suitable for the quantitative analysis of ligustilide in CX. The amount of ligustilide in CX samples collected from different cultivation areas was obviously different. However, a relatively higher content of ligustilide was generally found in the CX collected from its main cultivated areas.
Cheng
Shi-Qiong
SQ
Sichuan Provincial Institute for Food and Drug Control, Chengdu 610036, China.
Lv
Guang-Hua
GH
Liang
Shi-Xian
SX
Wang
Ye
Y
Xu
Yu-Cong
YC
Zhao
Zhong-Zhen
ZZ
D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D002681:China; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D017753:Ecosystem; D030004:Ligusticum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry
C027820:ligustilide; D015107:4-Butyrolactone