Objective: A rapid micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography method for the routine analysis of alpinetin and cardamonin in Alpinia katsumadai Hayata was established. Method: The analysis was carried out using an unmodified fused-silica capillary (75 μm.; total length 31.2 cm;effective length 21 cm)

the background electrolyte (BGE) containing 20 mmol·L-1 sodium borate (pH 7.0)-5 mmol·L-1 sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-10% acetonitrile. The applied voltage was 15 kV and detection wavelength was 286 nm. Result: Under the selected conditions

two components were separated completely within 4 min. The linear range was 25.2-251.1 mg·L-1 (r=0.996 2) for alpinetin and 27.9-167.4 mg·L-1 (r=0.999 5) for cardamonin. The average recoveries were 102.4% (for RSD 2.46%) alpinetin and 97.1% (RSD 2.72%) for cardamonin. Conclusion: This method has the advantages of rapidity

simplicity and has been successfully applied to the analysis of alpinetin and cardamonin in Alpinia katsumadai sample.