ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To test and analyze chemical composition of Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction at molecular level.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Raman spectra of decoctions prepared from seven batches of Paeoniae Radix Alba pieces, five batches of Paeoniae Radix Alba medicinal material and five batches of Paeoniae Radix Rubra pieces were measured respectively, and the characteristic Raman bands were tentatively assigned. Raman spectra of decoctions were compared and analysed between Paeoniae Radix Alba pieces and Paeoniae Radix Alba medicinal material, Paeoniae Radix Alba pieces and Paeoniae Radix Rubra pieces.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Nine Raman bands (637, 783, 847, 981, 1 091, 1 128, 1 336, 1 458 and 1 636 cm(-1)) were observed in the Paeoniae Radix Alba pieces decoction. Compared with the decoction of Paeoniae Radix Alba pieces, the Raman bands of 783, 981, 1 128, 1 336 and 1 458 cm(-1) were also exists in Paeoniae Radix Alba medicinal material decoction, meanwhile, the Raman bands of 633 cm(-1) and 1 633 cm(-1) occurs slight frequency shift, however, the bands of 716, 737, 835, 916, 1 072, 1 271 and 1 600 cm(-1) were disappear. In addition, the Raman spectra are quite different between the decoctions of Paeoniae Radix Alba pieces and Paeoniae Radix Rubra pieces.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The results showed that Raman spectroscopy might provide a novel method for the fast component detection of the Radix Paeoniae Alba decoction or other traditional Chinese medicine.</p>