Objective::
In order to control the quality better, this study aimed to develop two bioassay
methods of Banlangen Granule (BLGG) based on its anti-influenza activity and antiinflammatory
activity and to verify the necessity of established methods by relating the results
tested by chemical methods.
Method::
First, the bioassay methods for determining the biopotency of the anti-influenza effect
and anti-inflammatory activity were established and applied, taking neuraminidase and cyclooxygenase-
2 as disease targets, respectively. Secondly, the ultra-high-performance liquid
chromatography coupled photo-diode array detector (UPLC-PDA) technique was used to perform
fingerprints and quantify chemical compounds. Finally, the correlation analysis was performed
on the results of bioassay methods and chemical methods to assist in choosing the effective
quality markers for the BLGG.
Results::
Two accurate, stable, and repeatable bioassay methods were developed and applied to
the determination of 57 batches of samples. The chemical fingerprints and contents of seven
quality compounds were obtained based on UPLC-PDA methods. From the results of correlation
analysis, the highest intensity correlation between these quality markers was medium with
a r=0.495 (P<0.01), which indicates the need for establishing a bioassay method for BLGG.
Conclusion::
This present work illuminated that bioassay methods can be a great means to
evaluate the quality of BLGG effectively and also provided a paradigm case for the quality
control of other traditional Chinese medicine preparations.