Quality evaluation of Polygonum multiflorum in China based on HPLC analysis of hydrophilic bioactive compounds and chemometrics

D.Q. Han, J. Zhao , J. Xu, H.S. Peng, X.J. Chen, S.P. Li , 

Abstract

Polygonum multiflorum is one of the most commonly used Chinese medicines. In this study, an effective pressurized water extraction and HPLC method was developed for first simultaneous determination of 8 hydrophilic compounds, including gallic acid, Hypaphorine, Catechin, Proanthocyanidin B1, Epicatechin, Proanthocyanidin B2, Emodin-8-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, stilbene glycosides, in P. multiflorum. The analysis was performed on a Zorbax SB-AQ column with gradient elution of 0.05% phosphoric acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile in 45 min. All calibration curves showed good linearity (R2 > 0.9994) within test ranges. The LOD and LOQ were lower than 0.2 and 1.0 μg/mL on column, respectively. RSD for intra- and inter-day of 8 analytes were less than 4.1% and 4.0%, respectively, and the overall recovery was 96.0–100.7%. The validated method was successfully applied to quantification of 8 hydrophilic compounds in samples of P. multiflorum from different locations of China. Chemometrics such as principal component analysis (PCA) and 

 Proanthocyanidin B1 (>95%) and B2 (>95%) were purchased from Chengdu
Biopurify Phytochemicals Co. Ltd. (Chengdu, China).