Objective: To establish the UPLC fingerprint of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and reference crude drugs, analyze the characteristics among fingerprints of three species of reference crude drugs and the common components of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, and compare the application of different analysis methods.
Methods: UPLC procedure was performed on ACQUITY BEH C18 chromatographic column with mobile phase consisted of water (contained 0.1% phosphoric acid)-acetonitrile (gradient elution) at a flow rate of 0.21 mL/min. Detection wavelength was set at 260 nm and the column temperature was set at 30 degrees C. Fingerprints were analyzed by similarity evaluation, cluster analysis and principal component analysis.
Results: There were obvious characteristics among fingerprints of three species of reference crude drugs, 19 common chromatographic peaks were obtained from Rhei Radix et Rhizoma and 14 peaks were identified according to standard reference substances and by HPLC-MS. The cluster analysis and similarity evaluation showed the same result that 21 batches of sample were grouped into 5 categories and the result had no direct correlation with the botanical species. Both the contents of4 important ingredients suggested by principal component analysis and the whole fingerprint analysis were necessary in quality evaluation of Rhei Radix et Rhizoma. There was certain limitation in quality evaluation of multiple sources drug which analysis by similarity evaluation and cluster analysis.
Conclusion: The method with good reproducibility and separation saves time and solvent, it can be used in identification of three species of reference crude drugs but can not be used in species identification of commercial Rhei Radix et Rhizoma.