Objective: To study the variations of different soaking marinated time on the alkaloids in aconite root

and the content of 6 alkaloids in different soaking marinated time samples of aconite root was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Method: The content of alkaloids in aconite root was determined by HPLC with Waters Sunfire C18 column (4.6 mm×250 mm

5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile-tetrahydrofuran (25:15) and 0.1 mol·L-1 ammonium acetate solution (adding glacial acetic acid 0.5 mL into 1 000 mL solution) with the flow rate was 0.8 mL·min-1. Detection wavelength was set at 235 nm. Column temperature was fixed at 30 ℃. Result: The content of mesaconitine

hypaconitine

aconitine and benzoylmesaconine in mud aconite decreased gradually when it was soaking in the Danba solution. After 20 days

compared with it before processing

the content of four compounds in processed aconite fell by 60.39%

73.84%

72.57% and 88.46% respectively. Conclusion: It can prevent mud aconite decaying when it was soaking in Danba solution. After 20 days

the quality of processed aconite was stable

and both of the content of diester-type alkaloids and monoester-type alkaloids fell by about 70%. In order to ensure the clinical medication safety and effectively

it is necessary to improve the processing method of mud aconite.