title: Improved quality evaluation of Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza through simultaneous quantification of seven major active components by high-performance liquid chromatography and principal component analysis.
abstract: A novel method, using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with principal component analysis, was developed for the quality evaluation of danshen through simultaneous determination of seven components, namely danshensu, protocatechuic acid, protocatechuic aldehyde, salvianolic acid B, tanshinone I, cryptotanshinone and tanshinone IIA. These seven components were simultaneously separated on a Zorbax SB-C(18) column. The mobile phase consisted of 0.05% phosphoric acid water and methanol:acetonitrile (1:1) with a gradient elution, and the detection wavelength was set at 280 nm. Thirty samples of danshen and its substitutes from different sources were investigated by the established method. The results showed that the content of each analyte varied considerably in different danshen samples. Among the seven components tested, salvianolic acid B, tanshinone IIA, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, danshensu and protocatechuic aldehyde were proved suitable and representative as chemical markers for the quality control of danshen except for protocatechuic acid. Moreover, principal component analysis was used for the similarity evaluation of different samples, and it could be straightforward and reliable to differentiate danshen samples of different origins. In conclusion, simultaneous quantification of multiple components by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with principal component analysis would be a better strategy for the quality evaluation of danshen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Resources Science of Traditional Chinese Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hong-Liang
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Min-Jian
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Lian-Wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shu
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet