OBJECTIVETo develop an UPLC method of determining the characteristic chromatographic profile of Persicae Semen for controlling the drug quality quickly and accurately.

METHODThe UPLC characteristic chromatographic profiles of fifteen batches of Persicae Semen were determined on an HSS T3 column (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.8 microm) eluted with the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-water containing 0.05% phosphoric acid in gradient mode and the detection wavelength was at 254 nm.

RESULTThe common mode of the UPLC characteristic chromatographic profile was set up. There were 12 common peaks in the fingerprints of fifteen samples, six of which were identified, and the similar degrees of the fifteen batches to the common mode were between 0.884-0.996.

CONCLUSIONThe method was quick and accurate. The characteristic chromatographic profile of Persicae Semen with high specificity can be used to control the quality of Persicae Semen.

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

Eight compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate extraction of Prunus mume by column chromatography. On the basis of physicochemical properties and spectrum analysis, these compounds were identified as isoquercitrin-6″-O-benzoate(1), pinoresinol(2), naringin(3), ethyl-β-D-glucopyranoside(4), astragalin(5), quercetin(6), hypericin(7), and rutin(8). Among them, compound 1 was a new natural product, and compounds 2-5 were isolated from this plant for the first time. In vitro study, compounds 1, 3, 5-8 could significantly increase the cell survival ratio.
Acetates ; Phytochemicals/analysis* ; Plant Extracts/chemistry* ; Prunus/chemistry* ; Solvents

OBJECTIVETo systematically evaluate the quality of Semen Armeniacae Amarum.

METHODThe amygdalin content in the samples of Semen Armeniacae Amarum from different markets was analysed by HPLC. Some physical and chemical tests were done to investigate their quality.

RESULTSome significant differences in amygdalin contents and some physical and chemical parameters were shown between the crude drugs and the processed ones. There are few changes in amygdalin contents with the storage in 17 years.

CONCLUSIONThe processing conditions are the main factors that affect the quality of Semen Armeniacae Amarum. Furthermore, a systematic evaluation of the quality of its samples from the different markets has been established by a radar diagram based on the following five parameters: amygdalin contents, the lipid content, ethanol-soluble extract, total ash and acid-insoluble ash.

Amygdalin ; analysis ; Hot Temperature ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the GC fingerprint of fatty acids in peach seed,and provide evidences for quality assessment on peach seed.

METHODCapillary gas chromatography was applied in analysis of fatty acids in peach seed, and the distinctive information was confirmed by GC-MS with hierarchical cluster and species similarity analysis.

RESULTThe GC fingerprint containing distinctive information was obtained after investigation of peach seeds from 34 varieties and origins.

CONCLUSIONWith Good reproducibility, fingerprints established for peach seeds provided an effective method for quality control.

Fatty Acids ; chemistry ; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry ; methods ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Seeds ; chemistry

Prunus mume is an edible and medicinal material, and Mume Fructus is its processed product, which was first recorded in Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica(Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing). It is an effective drug for stopping diarrhea with astringents and promoting fluid production to quiet ascaris. By consulting the ancient herbal works of the past dynasties, modern codes, and other rela-ted literature, this paper sorted out the medicinal evolution of Mume Fructus, examined the ancient efficacy of Mume Fructus and the main indications, and summarized the inclusion of Mume Fructus in national and provincial standards. It is recorded in the ancient herbal works of the past dynasties that Mume Fructus can be processed by various methods such as roasting, stir-frying or micro-frying, stir-frying with charcoal, single steaming, steaming with wine, and steaming after soaking in wine or vinegar, and prepared into pills, powders, and ointments, which are used in the treatment of fatigue, diabetes, malaria, dysentery, ascariasis, and other diseases. Mume Fructus has been included in nine editions of Chinese Pharmacopoeia and 19 provincial and municipal preparation specifications. The processing method of Mume Fructus is determined, namely, clean P. mume should be softened by moistening in water or steaming and pitted. By reviewing the effects of processing on its chemical composition, pharmacological effects, and its modern clinical application, this paper identified the following issues. The ancient application methods of Mume Fructus are diverse but less commonly used in modern times, there is a lack of standardized research on the processing, and the research on the changes caused by the difference in Mume Fructus before and after processing is not deep. Therefore, it is necessary to further investigate the change pattern of its chemical composition before and after processing and its correlation between its medicinal activity to standardize the processing technology and provide a solid basis for the use of Mume Fructus in parts and its quality control.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Materia Medica/analysis* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Quality Control ; Prunus/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo develvp a RP-HPLC method for the determination of flavonoids in fifteen kinds of flowers such as Iris lacteal pall, prunus persica and rosa chinensis.

METHODThe contents of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamntin in fifteen kinds of flowers were extracted with methanol. The analysis was performed on a Kromasil C18 column (4.6 mm x250 mm, 5 microm) with methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid (50:50) as mobile phase.

RESULTThe quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamntin were separated well, and the result shows that the content of quercetin in the Iris lactea Pall was the highest (1.536%), the contene of kaempferol in Persica persice was the highest (0.572%), and the content of isorhamntin in chrysamthemum morifolium was up to 0.290%.

CONCLUSIONThe contents of flavonoids in these flowers were by determined RP-HPLC for the first time and the method can be used for quantitative determination of flavonoids in the flowers.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Flavonoids ; chemistry ; Flowers ; chemistry ; Iris Plant ; chemistry ; Kaempferols ; chemistry ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Quercetin ; chemistry ; Rosa ; chemistry

Medicinal almonds have been used for over 2 000 years and its clinical efficacy includes relieving cough and asthma. The domestic market in China is flooded with different kinds of dried almonds, such as bitter almond (Armeniacae Semen Amarum, AAS), sweet almond (Armeniacae Semen Dulce, ADS), salted almond (Armeniacae Semen Salsa, ASS), and their sulfur-fumigating products (Armeniacae Semen Sulphur Fumabat, ASFS). Wide varieties of almonds may lead to uncertain efficacy, aberrant quality, and even increased safety risk. However, the authentication method for medicinal almonds has not been reported, although imposters may lead to ineffective medical response. In the present study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the 2-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy were used to identify different almonds, which were extracted with different solvents including water, methanol, ethanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate, respectively. A new simple FTIR method was developed in the present study. According to the gradient solvent polarity, a new 2D IR method was first developed, and the commodities of almonds in China were analyzed by using the FTIR spectroscopy supported by hierarchical clustering of characteristic peaks. Moreover, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural could be used as a detection index and control target in the quality control of medicinal almonds.
China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Prunus dulcis ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; chemistry ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; methods

Persicae Semen (PS), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used for the syndrome of blood stasis in China since the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the present study, we developed an HPLC-UV fingerprint analysis method for the quality control of PS. The HPLC fingerprint was performed on Shimadzu Inertsil C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) at 35 degrees C. The mobile phases were composed of acetonitrile and water using a gradient elution. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1), and the detection wavelength was set at 210 nm. The fingerprint method was validated according to the Guidelines for Traditional Chinese Medicine Injection Fingerprint, and applied to determine 41 batches representative herbs collected from Xinjiang of China. The chromatographic peaks were characterized by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, and nine of them were identified by comparison with the literature and/or reference standards. In order to classify and assess the samples, hierarchical clustering analysis and partial least square discriminant analysis were performed based on the common chromatographic peaks, and the samples were geographically classified into two classes, with six chemical compounds as classification markers which were significantly different between the two classes (P < 0.05).
China ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; instrumentation ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Quality Control ; Seeds ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo study the influence of processing on metabolism of the main component of bitter almond-amygdalin in rat.

METHODThe blood was collected at different times after amygdalin given by injection and oral, bitter almond and its processed production given by oral respectively, and then detected by both HPLC and HPLC-MS(n) methods after extraction pretreatment.

RESULTAfter injection, amygdalin was absorbed in prototype to blood rapidly, while the other three kinds of medicine given by oral were all not detected the prototype of amygdalin, but two metabolites were detected which were isomers of prunasin confirmed by mass spectrometry. The metabolic pathway of prunasin in processed bitter almond group was markedly different from the bitter almond group.

CONCLUSIONProcessing has a significant effect on bitter almond metabolic processes in rats.

Amygdalin ; analysis ; metabolism ; Animals ; Female ; Male ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

AIMTo compare the post-column derivatization technique (IAC-PCD-HPLC) for the determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 and the rapid procedure with fluorometric analysis (SFB) for the determination of total aflatoxins.

METHODSThe method of post-column derivatization with bromine by HPLC consisted of extraction of the sample with MeOH-H2O (70:30) followed by clean-up of the extracts with immunoaffinity columns and finally, HPLC determination with fluorescence detection. Aflatoxins B1 and G1 were determined as their bromine derivatives, produced in an on-line post-column derivatization system. In SFB method, samples were ground and extracted with methanol-water (70:30). A portion of the extract was cleaned up by passage through a immunoaffinity column, One mL of purified extract was derivatized with a bromine reagent, and fluorescence of the solution was immediately quantified with a calibrated fluorometer containing a broad wavelength pulsed xenon light source.

RESULTSIn IAC-HPLC method, the overall average recoveries for three different medicinal herbs spiked at levels of 1.3 and 2.6 ng x g(-1) of total aflatoxins ranged from 93% to 97%. The detection limit was 0. 06 microg x kg(-1) for both G2 and B2 and 0.20 microg x kg(-1) for both G1 and B1, based on a signal/noise 3:1 and the precision (within-laboratory relative standard deviation) ranged from 0.8% to 1.4%. Each of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in 39 kind medicinal materials were determined by IAC-PCD-HPLC, and the total aflatoxins were determined by SFB.

CONCLUSIONThe SFB method is not the suitable method for the determination of total aflatoxins in medicinal herbs and plant extracts.

Aflatoxin B1 ; analysis ; Aflatoxins ; analysis ; Bromine ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Codonopsis ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Prunus ; chemistry ; Spectrometry, Fluorescence ; methods