title: Advancement in analysis of Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (Danshen).
abstract: This review summarizes the recent advances in the chemical analysis of Danshen and its finished products, including the introduction of the identified bioactive components, analytical methods for quantitative determination of target analytes and fingerprinting authentication, quality criteria of Danshen crude herb and its preparations, as well as the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies on the active components of Danshen and its finished products. Danshen contains mainly two types of constituents, the hydrophilic depsides and lipophilic diterpenoidal quinones and both of them are responsible for the pharmacological activities of Danshen. In order to monitor simultaneously both types of components which have different physicochemical properties, numerous analytical methods have been reported using various chromatographic and spectrophotometric technologies. In this review, 110 papers on analysis of Danshen are discussed, various analytical methods and their chromatographic conditions are briefly described and their advantages/disadvantages are compared. For obtaining a quick, accurate and applicable analytical approach for quality evaluation and establishing a harmonized criteria of Danshen and its finished products, the authors' suggestion and opinions are given, including the reasonable selection of marker compounds with high concentration and commercial availability, a simple sample preparation procedure with high recoveries of both the hydrophilic phenols and lipophilic tanshinones, and an optimized chromatographic condition with ideal resolutions of all the target components. The chemical degradation and transformation of the predominant constituent salvianolic acid B in Danshen during processing and manufacturing are also emphasized in order to assure the quality consistency of Danshen containing products.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai R&D Center for Standardization of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1200 Cai Lun Road, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Shanghai, 201203, China. yongguoli@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Yong-Guo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhi-Bi
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zheng-Tao
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D053630:Depsides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D011809:Quinones / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D027561:Salvia miltiorrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D053630:Depsides; D004224:Diterpenes; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D011809:Quinones; C028972:dan-shen root extract; C076944:salvianolic acid B