Study on Fingerprint of Licorice Extract and the Content Determination of Its Multi-indicator

OBJECTIVE To establish an HPLC fingerprint of licorice extract and a method for determination of multi-index components. METHODS The fingerprint of licorice extract was established by HPLC, and the similarity evaluation of HPLC fingerprint of 35 batches of licorice extract from 13 manufacturers was carried out by the chromatographic fingerprint similarity evaluation system of traditional Chinese medicine. Six index components including glycyrrhizin, celery glycyrrhizin, isoglycyrrhizin, neoisoglycoside, licorice chalcone B and glycyrrhizic acid were used as indicators, and the multi-indicator HPLC method for the determination of licorice extract was established by using a Boston Green ODS (4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm) with acetonitrile(A)-0.1% formic acid(B) as the mobile phase gradient. RESULTS HPLC fingerprints of licorice extract were established, 22 common peaks were calibrated, and 10 common peaks were identified. The similarity of 35 batches of samples was >0.96, indicating that the different batches of licorice extract had good consistency. Six multi-indicator contents determination methods were established and methodological investigations were in compliance with the regulations. CONCLUSION The established methods are accurate, simple and reproducible, which can be used to comprehensively evaluate the quality of licorice extract.