Steroidal alkaloids are nitrogenous derivatives of natural steroids

with dual properties of steroids and alkaloids in chemical properties and biological activities. Steroidal alkaloids act as the main pharmacodynamic components of Fritillaria

Buxus sinica

Veratrum nigrum

Solanum nigrum

and other traditional Chinese medicines

and they are also found in some common foods such as potatoes

tomatoes and eggplants. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that steroidal alkaloids are highly active in anti-tumor

cardiovascular system

antibacterial

insecticidal and other activities

but also had high toxicity. The quantitative analysis of steroidal alkaloids is difficult because of its particularity of structure. In the review of quantitative analysis methods for steroidal alkaloids in the literature from 1998 to 2017

the methods for determining total content of steroid alkaloids mainly included spectrophotometry-acid dye colorimetry

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and titration. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was generally used in the quantitative analysis of specific steroid alkaloids

mainly including HPLC-UV

HPLC-ELSD

HPLC-MS and HPLC-CAD. In this paper

the related studies on the quantitative analysis of steroid alkaloids in the past 20 years were summarized

and the advantages and limitations of the various methods were analyzed

in order to improve and promote the control methods for the quality of related traditional Chinese medicines and the safety of related foods

and provide a reference on the analysis methods for the the further development and utilization of steroidal alkaloids and related traditional Chinese medicines.