Objective: To investigate effect of carbomer on enzymolysis of total flavonoids from Epimedii Folium. Method: Total flavonoids from Epimedii Folium and carbomer was mixed

then hydrolyzed by snailase

HPLC was adopted to observe content change of main flavonoids (including epimedin A

epimedin B

epimedin C

icariin and so on) and main hydrolysates (sagittatoside A

sagittatoside B

2"-O-rhamnosylicariside Ⅱ

baohuoside Ⅰ and icaritin in enzymolysis liquid

and compared with enzymatic process (no carbomer) of total flavonoids from Epimedii Folium. Result: In a buffer solution (containing 1% carbomer

37 ℃)

hydrolysis rates of epimedin A

epimedin B

epimedin C and icariin were slower

it need about 4 h to completely transformed to secondary glycosides

which was twice in comparison with absense of carbomer;The content of baohuoside Ⅰ was always higher and contents of sagittatoside A and 2"-O-rhamnosylicariside Ⅱ was also higher during 2-6 h than absense of carbomer.The highest content of baohuoside Ⅰ was 48.43 mg·L-1 and the final stable content was 12.99 mg·L-1

which were 2.2 and 7.2 times as many as absense of carbomer

respectively.Afterwards

secondary glycosides could continue to be hydrolyzed to aglycone

their production rates were almost the same

which were about 7.60 mg·L-1·h-1. Conclusion: Carbomer could slow down enzymolysis rates of total flavonoids from Epimedii Folium

promote production of secondary glycosides

but had no effect on production of aglycone.