Objective: To develop an HPLC method for determination of 10 indicative components (aloe-emodin

rhein

emodin

chrysophanol

physcion

jatrorrhizine

epiberberine

coptisine

palmatine

berberine) in Rhubarb and Coptis chinensis. Method: Phenomsil BDS C18 (4.6 mm×250 mm

5 μm) was adopted; the mobile phase was methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid (65: 35). The detection wavelength was set at 254 nm; the other mobile phase was acetonitrile-water (37: 63) with 0.34 g potassium phosphate and 0.17 g SDS; the detection wavelength was set at 345. The column temperature was maintained at 25 ℃. Result: The complete separation was obtained for the five compounds of Rhubarb. The complete separation was obtained for the five compounds of Coptis chinensis. Ten regression equation showing linear relationships between peak area and content of each compound were obtained. The average recoveries (n=6) of the compounds listed above were 100.79%

99.38%

99.83%

98.94%

98.86%

100.20%

99.53%

99.76%

100.07%

100.37% and RSDs were 1.3%

1.8%

1.6%

0.5%

1.6%

1.2%

1.6%

1.8%

2.0%

1.6%

respectively. Conclusion: This method is dependable

simple and practical

and may be used to control quality of Rhubarb and Coptis chinensis.