Analysis of Paeoniflorin in Herbal medicine

Analysis of Paeoniflorin in Herbal Medicine Using Shim-pack FC-ODS

Importance of Topic:
Paeoniflorin is the major bioactive glycoside in Paeoniae Radix, widely used in traditional herbal medicines. Accurate quantification is critical for quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

Study Objectives and Overview:

• Develop and validate a robust reversed-phase LC-UV method for determining paeoniflorin content in commercial herbal formulations.
• Optimize sample preparation to ensure efficient extraction and reproducibility.

Methodology and Instrumentation:

• Column: Shim-pack FC-ODS (150 mm × 4.6 mm I.D., 3 μm).
• Mobile phase: Acetonitrile / 0.1% aqueous phosphoric acid = 15 / 85 (v/v).
• Flow rate: 1.0 mL/min; Column temperature: 40 °C; Injection volume: 20 µL.
• Detection: UV at 230 nm; Vials: LabTotal™ LC/LCMS vials.
• Sample pretreatment: Sieve sample, weigh 1 g, extract with 25 mL 50% methanol using ultrasonic treatment (400 W, 50 kHz, 30 min), adjust solvent to original weight, filter.

Main Results and Discussion:
The chromatogram of the standard solution (32 µg/mL) shows a single, well-resolved peak for paeoniflorin. Herbal medicine samples exhibit the same retention profile without significant interferences. The method demonstrates linear response, good repeatability, and acceptable recovery for routine quality control.

Benefits and Practical Applications:
This protocol offers a rapid, user-friendly approach for routine QA/QC of herbal products. It uses widely available equipment and straightforward sample preparation, facilitating implementation in research and industrial laboratories.

Future Trends and Potential Applications:
Advancements may include faster UHPLC gradients, coupling with mass spectrometry for trace-level detection, and automated sample pretreatment workflows. Application to multi-component profiling in complex formulations can further enhance quality assessment.

Conclusion:
The described reversed-phase LC-UV method provides a reliable and reproducible tool for quantifying paeoniflorin in herbal medicines, supporting stringent quality control requirements.

References:

1. Shimadzu Corporation. Application Note ERAS-1000-0074, First Edition March 2023.