OBJECTIVETo establish an UPLC method for simultaneous determination of purpuroxanthine, purpurin, 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone, rubimaillin in carbonized Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma.

METHODThe components were separated on acquity BEHC18 (2.1 mm x 50 mm, 1.7 microm) using methanol and 0.3% formic acid solution as the mobile phase; The flow rate was 0.2 mL x min(-1) and the volume of injection was 2 microL; the column temperature was maintained at 30 degrees C and the detective wavelength was set at 276 nm.

RESULTThere were good liner relationships between the peak area and concentration at ranges of 0.68-34.44 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9999), 0.66-33.2 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9997), 0.68-34.08 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9999), 1.07-53.52 mg x L(-1) (r = 0.9999) for purpuroxanthine, purpurin, 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone, rubimaillin, respectively; the average recovery rates of purpuroxanthine, purpurin, 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone, rubimaillin were 96.95%, 95.75%, 102.5%, 96.15%, respectively, with RSD less than 3%.

CONCLUSIONThe established method was rapid and simple with good accuracy and reproducibility for the determination of carbonized Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma, the method was suitable for the quality control of carbonized Rubiae Radix et Rhizoma.