Objective: This article was aimed to establish a rapid identification method for the detection of illegally added pigments in Carthami Flos besides golden orange pigment Ⅱin the case of that only golden orange pigment Ⅱcan be detected according to the current national inspection approval of to supplement the inspection of illegally added pigment in Carthami Flos besides golden orange pigment Ⅱ. Method: In TLC method

silicagelG was used as stationary phase

70% ethanol was used as solvent

and ethylacetate-butanol-ethanol-ammonia-water (1:3:3:1:1) was used as developing solvent

and the result was detected under visible light. The positive samples were further proved by HPLC method. In HPLC method

octadecylsilane bonded silica was used as a filler

methanol-0.05 mol·L-1 ammonium acetate(52∶ 48) was used as mobile phase. The column temperature was 35℃

the detection wavelength was 508 nm

by tested twice with ultraviolet detector and photodiode array detector.Then the result was compared with the peak of the control reagents for further confirmation. Result: The results of two positive samples by TLC were consistent with those by HPLC. Two out of nine groups of Carthami Flos samples were proven to contain the forbidden food pigment acid red 73. Conclusion: The method is suitable for rapid screening of illegally added pigment in Carthami Flos. The established TLC method is simple

rapid

reproducible

cost-effective

to supplement the relevant provisions of national standards

and to play a significant role in the management of medicine timber and Chinese Herbal Medicine.