OBJECTIVETo study the contents of main chemical compounds, such as, paeonol, paeoniflorin and their similar compounds in structure in Paeonia ostii and P. suffruticosa, and to find their quality difference.

METHODHPLC was used. The contents of paeoniflorin and paeonol in 9 collected samples, 5 from P. ostii and 4 from P. suffruticosa, and 6 herb samples bought from different areas were analyzed. The rough contents of 3 paeonol similar compounds and 2 paeoniflorin similar compounds were investigated.

RESULT AND CONCLUSION1. There is no obvious difference in the contents of paeonol and paeonoflorin and the constitution of other main compounds between P. ostii and P. suffruticosa. Since they belong to different botanic species, it is suggested that both P. ostii and P. suffruticosa should be recorded in Chinese Pharmacopoeia as the origin of Cortex Paeoniae. 2. The glucosides of paeonol might change to paeonol in the course of the collecting and processing of the herb. Therefore when the contents of paeonol is used as the standard to evaluate the quality of the material and patent medicine, the attention should be paid to the transformation mentioned above.