To ensure the stability of chemistry components and the convenience of operation, ultrasound method was chosen to study in this investigation. As the total common peaks area in chromatograms was set to be evaluation index, the influence on the technology caused by extraction time, ethanol concentration and liquid-to-solid ratio was studied by using single factor methodology, and the extraction technology of Paeoniae Radix Alba was optimized by using response surface methodology. The results showed that the extracting results were most affected by ethanol concentration; liquid-to-solid ratio came the second and extraction time thirdly. The optimum ultrasonic-assisted extraction conditions were as follow: the ultrasonic extraction time was 20.06 min, the ethanol concentration in solvent was 72.04%, and the liquid-to-solid ratio was 53.38 mL · g(-1), the predicted value of total common peaks area was 2.1608 x 10(8). Under the extraction conditions after optimization, the total common peaks area was 2.1422 x 10(8), and the relative deviation between the measured and predicted value was 0.86%, so the optimized extraction technology for Paeoniae Radix Alba is suitable and feasible. Besides, for the purpose of extracting more sufficiently and completely, the optimized extraction technology had more advantages than the extraction method recorded in the monogragh of Paeoniae Radix Alba in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which will come true the assessment and utilization comprehensively.
Paeonia ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo develop an UPLC method of determining the characteristic chromatographic profiles of Paeoniae Radix Alba for quality control.

METHODThe UPLC characteristic chromatographic profiles of fifteen batches of Paeoniae Radix Alba were determined on an HSS T3 Column (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.8 microm) eluted with the mobile phases of water containing 0.05% phosphoric acid and acetonitrile in gradient mode. The detection wavelength was set at 230 nm.

RESULTThe common mode of the UPLC characteristic chromatographic profile was set up. There were 15 common peaks, five of which were identified, and the similar degrees of the fifteen samples to the common mode were between 0.891 and 0.996.

CONCLUSIONThe method was time-saving and can be used for the quality control of Paeoniae Radix Alba.

Chromatography, Liquid ; methods ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from seeds of Paeonia sufruticosa.

METHODVarious chromatographic techniques were used to isolate and purify the constituents, their physico-chemical properties and spectral data were employed to elucidate their structures.

RESULTThirteen compounds were isolated and identified as: paeoniflorin (1), oxypaeoniflorin (2), 6'-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylalbiflorin (3), 8-debenzoylpaeoniflorin (4), 8-debenzoylpaeonidanin (5), 1-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylpaeonisuf-frone (6), 1-O-beta-D-ethyl-mannopyranoside (7), sucrose (8), luteolin (9), apigenin (10), benzoic acid (11) and 1-0-beta-D-(4-hydroxybenzoyl) glucose (12).

CONCLUSIONcompounds 2, 4-6 were isolated from this plant for the first time, compounds 7 and 12 were isolated from the family of Paeoniaceae for the first time.

Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; isolation & purification ; Seeds ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo prepare controlled porosity osmotic-pump tablets of total paeony glycosides (TPG) and establish the relationship between formulation factors of membrane and drug release rate.

METHODUniform design was used to achieve the quantitative relationship between the release rate and formulation factors of membrane. Optimized prescription was calculated from the regression equation.

RESULTA significant correlation and a fine precision of the regession equation were obtained. Controlled porosity osmotic-pump tablets of TPG were prepared based on the calculations, and the drug release profile was in accord with zero-order kinetics (r = 0.9902).

CONCLUSIONUniform design is a convenient and efficient approach for formulation optimization of controlled porosity osmotic-pump tablets.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; Osmotic Pressure ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Porosity ; Tablets ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of the bark of Paeonia suffruticosa.

METHODThe 95% ethanol extract was re-extracted with EtOAc, and then separated and purified by column chromatography using silica gel, Sephadex LH -20 and RP-18 as packing materials. The structures were identified on the basis of spectral analysis and physico-chemical characters.

RESULTSix compounds were isolated and identified as (+)-catechin (1), paeonidanin (2), paeoniflorigenone (3), 2, 5-dihydroxy-4-methoxyacetophenone (4), paeonol (5), gallic acid (6).

CONCLUSIONThe compound 1 was isolsted from the genus Paeonia for the first time. The compounds 2, 3 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

Catechin ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Monoterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Plant Bark ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo understand the particle settling characteristics of alcohol precipitation mixture of Paeoniae Radix rubra extract and establish models of the sedimentation rate.

METHODSFocusing on the particle settling characteristics such as particle settling curve, particle settling velocity (PSV), particle volume index (PVI), the particle settling process of alcohol precipitation was investigated. The effect of three key process factors on the settling process was discussed and mathematical models for describing the particle settling velocity were developed.

RESULTSControlling of higher final alcohol concentration, higher density of Paeoniae Radix rubra extract, or lower initial alcohol concentration, was conducive to settlement of alcohol precipitation particles. In the constant speed phase, an empirical calculation formula of v(0) was established, with both the variables PSV and PVI (v(0)=-0.236PSV+0.022PVI+7.521). Another developed model was applied to predict the settling velocity in decelerated phase and the simulation was very good [v=k(1-n(1)X)(4)exp(-n(2)X)/X].

CONCLUSIONThe results of this work will contribute to a better control and optimization of alcohol precipitation process, and help to implementation of accuracy control in the manufacture of botanical medicines.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; Models, Theoretical ; Paeonia ; chemistry

OBJECTIVEAn UPLC method was developed to evaluate the quality of Paeoniae Radix by simultaneously determining four components, paeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol in Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction pieces.

METHODThe UPLC chromatographic column was ACQUITY UPLC® HSS T3. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.05% phosphoric acid water with gradient elution. The column temperature was 30 °C and detection wavelength was 230 nm with a flow rate of 0.4 mL · min(-1). A linear model was obtained through principal component analysis (PCA), and PCA scores were used to evaluate the quality of Radix Paeoniae Alba decoction pieces comprehensively.

RESULTPaeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol could be well separated from other components, and the results of specificity, precision, repeatability, linearity, recovery rate and stability reached the standards, respectively. The content of paeoniflorin in 9 batches of Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction pieces was below the standard given by Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition). Using the comprehensive scoring method with principal component analysis, the results showed that the samples from Zhejiang province have better quality than those from Anhui and Shandong provinces.

CONCLUSIONThe method established in this study can effectively determine the content of paeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol, which could be used for quality control of Paeoniae Radix Alba.

Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Principal Component Analysis

This study aims to investigate whether the cultivation peony, can take the place of wild herbaceous peony by comparing the biological traits and paeoniflorin content between them. The result showed that the biomass of the stem, leaf, crown, fleshy root and fine root of wild plants were all smaller than that of bud asexual cultivated plants, while there was no significant differences in below-ground and aboveground biomass ratio between these two plants. The stele diameter, the proportion of stele, and the ratio of stele diameter to cortex thickness of wild plants were significantly higher than that of bud asexual cultivated plants, while the cortex thickness and the proportion of cortex were significantly smaller than bud asexual cultivated plants. Although the biological traits of bud asexual cultivated plants have changed significantly, the paeoniflorin content in fleshy roots has no significant difference between wild and bud asexual cultivated plants. Therefore, it is feasible to use the bud asexual cultivation to the conservation and large-scale cultivation of Paeonia laciflora, which is an endangered species.
Glucosides ; analysis ; Monoterpenes ; analysis ; Paeonia ; anatomy & histology ; chemistry ; growth & development

OBJECTIVETo establish a method for the simultaneous determination of 15 pesticides residues in Radix Paeoniae Alba by large volume injection-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(LVI-GC-MS).

METHODSThe pesticides, including organochlorine pesticides, organophosphorus pesticides and pyrethroid insecticides, were analyzed by LVI-GC-MS using DB-5MS capillary column (30 m X 250 μm, 0.25 μm). The column temperature programming: initial temperature 40 degree for 1 min, with the increasing rate of 20 degree/min to 210 degree for 2 min, then with the increasing rate of 5 degree/min to 280 degree for 22 min. The flow of carrier gas was 1.0 ml/min with the injection volume of 15 μl.

RESULTSThe calibration curves of the pesticides were linear in the specified concentration ranges with correlation coefficients of 0.9937-0.9995. The average recoveries of the pesticides in Radix Paeoniae Alba spiked at two spiked levels ranged from 60.4 % to 106.8 % (for pendimethalin and 4, 4'-DDE those were 53.1 % and 45.2 %) with relative standard deviation(RSD) of 3.6 % to 18.6 % and the detection limits (S/N=3) were in the range of 0.16 μg/kg to 3.59 μg/kg.

CONCLUSIONThe established method for determination of multi-pesticide residue in Radix Paeoniae Alba is rapid, convenient and accurate with high sensitivity and low-cost.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Pesticide Residues ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo establish a HPLC method of characteristic chromatographic profile for the quality control of Paeoniae Radix.

METHODThe 67 batches of samples were analyzed on a Polaris C18-A column with a gradient elution of acetonitrile and phosphate solution (pH 3.0) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1) and detected at 230 nm.

RESULTNine main marker peaks were identified and semi-quantificated. By the similarity evaluation software for chromatographic fingerprint of traditional Chinese medicine (Version 2004A) and hierarchical clustering analysis, 67 batches of Paeoniae Radix were classified.

CONCLUSIONThe method can be applied for quality assessment of Paeoniae Radix.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Paeonia ; chemistry ; Quality Control