Evaluation of quality of Radix Puerariae herbal medicine by isoflavonoids.
OBJECTIVE
A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed to examine five isoflavonoids present in Chinese herbal medicinal products containing Radix Puerariae.


METHODS
Five isoflavonids, puerarin, daidzin, genistin, daidzein and genistein, were measured by HPLC. The HPLC system was equipped with an ODS-AM-303 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm) and established gradient system comprising glacial acetic acid/water and glacial acetic acid/acetonitrile.


RESULTS
The developed HPLC system yielded good separation of the five isoflavonoids. Relative coefficients of intraday and interday analysis of variation were less than 5%. The isoflavonoid recovery from Radix Puerariae was 90-113%. Most of the Radix Puerariae products studied contained five isoflavonoids in their HPLC fingerprint. The major component was purarine, then daidzin and daidzein; genistin and genistein were the least abundant. Five Radix Puerariae herbal medicines contained various concentrations of isoflavonoids. Of the 11 scientific extracted formulas of Radix Puerariae tested, ST brands had a greater isoflavonoid content than KA and SC brands.


CONCLUSIONS
Separation and quantification of the five isoflavonoids by this HPLC method was suitable to assess the quality of Radix Puerariae herbal medicine products.
Chen
Tong Rong
TR
Department of Food Science, National Chia-Yi University, Chia-Yi.
Chen
Lei An
LA
Wei
Que King
QK
D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000032:analysis*; D018517:Plant Roots; D029908:Pueraria / Q000737:chemistry*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007529:Isoflavones