title: [Determination and fingerprint analysis of tetramethylpyrazine and ferulic acid in Ligusticum chuanxiong].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the contents of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) and ferulic acid in Ligusticum chuanxiong from different producing areas and seasons.
  
  
  METHODS
  The contents of TMP and ferulic acid were determined by HPLC, and then analyzed by Chromatographic Fingerprints.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The contents of TMP and ferulic acid from different seasons were obviously different from each other. It was much higher in "laoxiong" than that in "naixiong". The similarity of fingerprints was high if the samples were collected from the same season, or the same areas, but not different seasons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The contents of TMP and ferulic acid were different from different producing areas. The evident variety of Ligusticum chuanxiong's fingerprints from different collecting seasons, Laoxiong and Naixiong, was not relevant for clinical use as the same medicine.
authors.affiliation: Hebei Medicine University, Shijiazhuang 050091, China.
authors.forename: Chang-fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Quan-xin
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Yu-ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Shi-wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-ya
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Fang-ju
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-qi
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004340:Drug Contamination; D030004:Ligusticum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011786:Quality Control; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D003373:Coumaric Acids; D011719:Pyrazines; C004999:ferulic acid; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine