The present study established specific chromatograms and a method for determining multiple primary components in Yinqiao Powder decoctions and compared the change rules of chemical composition in powder and piece decocting processes of Yinqiao Powder to provide a scientific basis for the modern research of preparations of Yinqiao Powder. Powder and piece decoctions of Yinqiao Powder were prepared. The specific chromatograms were determined and the content of 17 primary components was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), including adoxosidic acid, neochlorogenic acid, forsythoside E, loganic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, sweroside, forsythoside Ⅰ, forsythoside H, forsythoside A, isochlorogenic acid B, E-aldosecologanin, hesperidin, phillyrin, arctiin, liquiritigenin, and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate. The effect of decocting time on the chemical composition in powder and piece decoctions of Yinqiao Powder was investigated. As a result, the specific chromatogram similarities of powder decoctions of Yinqiao Powder with different decocting time were high, which indicated that their chemical compositions were similar, while the similarities of piece decoctions were low, suggesting similar chemical compositions with big differences. In powder decoctions, the concentrations of neochlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, forsytherin H, and isochlorogenic acid B increased with the prolongation of decocting time, and those of adoxosidic acid, forsythoside E, forsythoside Ⅰ, E-aldosecologanin, phillyrin, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, loganic acid, arctiin, sweroside, and liquiritigenin increased firstly and tended to be stable, while those of forsythoside A, chlorogenic acid, and hesperidin increased firstly and then decreased. In piece decoctions, the concentration of chlorogenic acid increased firstly and then decreased with the prolongation of decocting time, while those of the remaining 16 components showed an upward trend. The concentrations of adoxosidic acid, forsythoside E, forsythoside Ⅰ, E-aldosecologanin, phillyrin, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, forsythoside A, forsythoside H, and chlorogenic acid in powder decoctions were higher than those in piece decoctions. The concentrations of hesperidin, loganic acid, phillyrin, sweroside, liquiritigenin, neochlorogenic acid, and cryptochlorogenic acid in powder decoctions were higher than those in piece decoctions within 40 min of decocting. The concentration of isochlorogenic acid B in powder decoctions was lower than that in piece decoction 10 min after decocting. The results showed that the decocting time and particle size of raw medicinal materials had certain effects on the content of chemical components in decoctions of Yinqiao Powder. Compared with the piece decocting, the powder decocting could achieve faster resolution of chemical components and higher concentrations, which confirmed the scientific evidence of the traditional powder decocting method of Yinqiao Powder. For the piece decocting of prescriptions of Yinqiao Powder, extraction time should be prolonged and extraction times should be increased to achieve the same effect as the powder decocting.
Keywords: Yinqiao Powder; boiled powder; content determination; decocting process; decoction pieces; primary components; specific chromatogram.