OBJECTIVETo develop methods for qualitative and quantitative analyses of Flos Cartnami from three aspects, pigments, flavonoids and adenosine.

METHODA method using HPLC coupled with electrochemical detector was developed to determine the content of hydroxysafflor yellow A and fingerprint of Flos Carthami. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Zorbax SB C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) by gradient elution with phosphate buffer and acetonitrile at a flow-rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1), the column temperature was 35 degrees C, the reference electrode was ISAAC (in-situ silver/silver chloride), the working electrode was glassy carbon, the counter electrode was Pt, and the applied potential was + 800 mV. Concentration of adenosine was determined by HPLC-UV on an Diamonsil C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) with water-acetonitrile (95:5) as mobile phase, the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1), the column temperature was 40 degrees C and the detection wavelength was 260 nm. The content of cartharmin was detected using a spectrophotometric method.

RESULTTwenty-one common chromatographic peaks were selected as characteristic peaks in the chromatogram of sample solution of Flos Cartnami. Seven peaks were identified as hydroxysafflor yellow A, 6-hydroxykaempferol-3-O-glucoside, rutin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, quercetin, kaempferol. The contents of hydroxysafflor yellow A and adenosine were from 0.35% to 3.58% and from 0.03% per hundred to 0.49% per hundred, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe methods can be used to evaluate the quality of Flos Carthami.