Objective: To establish an accurate HPLC method for the determination of 6 components (liquiritin

liquiritigenin

isoliquritigenin

licochalcone A

glycyrrhizic acid and glycyrrhetinic acid) in manure-prepared licorice.To compare content changes of triterpenes and flavonoids in manure-prepared licorice before and after being processed and evaluate its quality. Method: The analyses were performed on a Agilent Exlipse C18 column (4.6 mm×250 mm

5 μm) with mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.05% phosphoric acid aqueous solution for gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL·min-1

the detection wavelength was set at 237 nm and the column temperature was at 30℃.Quality of manure-prepared licorice was analyzed by cluster analysis

principal component analysis and G-test. Result: The contents of these 6 components in 12 batches of manure-prepared licorice samples were in the ranges of 0.04-0.23

0.25-0.66

0.17-0.37

0.33-3.42

1.54-15.21

0.03-0.95 mg·g-1

respectively;and the average contents of these 6 components in Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma were 1.64

0.32

0.17

0.50

22.46

0 mg·g-1

respectively.Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and manure-prepared licorice had essential difference

there were some differences among samples prepared by different methods and 12 batches of commercial samples. Conclusion: The method is simple and reproducible.Quality of manure-prepared licorice is influenced by preparation process

raw materials and ammoniated environment.