The determination of icariin (IC), rhein (RH), chrysophanol (CH), physcion (PHY), glycyrrhetic acid (GE), and glycyrrhizic acid (GI), in traditional Chinese preparations, Anshen Bunao oral liquid and Maren pill, has been investigated by micellar electrokinetic capillary electrophoresis. With borate buffer (10 mM), SDS (20 mM) and acetonitrile (10%) as background electrolyte (pH 9.55), 20 kV applied voltage and 254 nm UV detection, the six active compounds were completely separated within 10 min. The effects of buffer pH, concentration of borate, SDS and modifier on electrophoretic behavior and separation are discussed. Regression equations revealed linear relationships (correlation coefficients: 0.9960-0.9999) between the peak-area of each component and the content. In addition, the levels of the six active compounds in two kinds of traditional Chinese medicinal preparations were easily determined with recoveries of from 94.7% to 106.4%.

SummaryA capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method was developed for the simultaneous assay of three bioactive components -baicalin, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid -in seven traditional Chinese medicinal preparations. The analytes were separated successfully within 3.5 min using 10 mM borate buffer (pH 8.6). Regression equations revealed linear relationships (correlation coefficients 0.9942-0.9996) between the peak area and concentration of the three analytes. The relative standard deviations of the migration times and the peak areas of the three constituents were 1.12-2.68% and 1.62-5.73%, respectively. Recovery of the three constituents ranged from 89 to 107 %. The extraction efficiencies of different extraction solutions are also discussed. The contents of the three components in seven different Chinese medicinal preparations containing Honeysuckle flower and/or Scutellariae radix were determined by the CZE method with satisfactory results.

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