OBJECTIVETo analyze the relationship between high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprints of the chloroform extract fractions of Peucedanum harrysmithii var. subglabrum (PHS) and its phlegm-reducing effect, in order to establish "active component group for reducing phlegm".

METHODHPLC was adopted to determine and analyze HPLC fingerprints of chloroform extract fractions of PHS. Phenol red expectorant experiment was used to observe the phlegm-reducing effect in mice. Mice were administered intragastrically with chloroform extract fractions for 6 days (1.4 g x kg(-1)), with acute bronchitis syrup as the positive control drug (12 mL x kg(-1)). The phenol red secretion in mice was determined by spectrophotometer. Then the grey relational analysis was used to study the spectrum-effect relationship.

RESULTThe phlegm-reducing effect of the chloroform extract fractions of PHS were resulted from the combined effect of all of its chemical components. Its various characteristic peaks represented different chemical components, and the order of their contributions to the phlegm-reducing effect was (number of peaks) 13 > 12 > 16 > 18 > 19 > 6 > 20 > 14 > 1 > 11 > 15 > 10 > 17 > 2 > 5 > 4 > 7 > 3 > 8 > 9, in No. 1, 3, 4, 10, 13 and 16 characteristic peaks were identified as marmesin, psoralen, xanthotoxin, Pd-Ib, pteryxin and peuformosin.

CONCLUSIONThe chloroform extract fractions of PHS show strongly phlegm-reducing effect. There may be certain relationship between their HPLC fingerprint and phlegm-reducing effect.