ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To establish a HPLC method for determination two constituents in bark of Paeonia Suffuticosa. METHOD: The reversed phase HPLC system consisting of an Alltima ODS column (4.6 mm x 150 mm, 5 microm) and a mixture of water-THF-methanol-HAc (60:20:20:0.05) as the mobile phase was used. The flow rate was 0.8 mL x min(-1) and UV detection was set at 274 nm. RESULT: The assay displayed good linearity over the concentration ranges of 0.06-1.0 microg (r = 0.999 9, gallic acid) and 0.16-2.58 microg (r = 0.999 9, paeonol) respectively. The average recoveries (n = 9) of gallic acid and paeonol were 98.6% (RSD = 3.0%), 98.2% (RSD = 2.5%), respectively. The samples were extracted with methanol for 24 h bu maceration. CONCLUSION: The method is simple, accurate and can be used for the quality study of bark of P. suffruticosa.