Determination of 8 Main Active Compounds in Curcumae Rhizoma by HPLC Wavelength Switching Method

OBJECTIVE To establish an HPLC method for simultaneous quantitative determination of 8 characteristic compounds, including bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, curcumin, curcumenol, curdione, furanodienone, germacrone and furanodiene in Curcumae Rhizoma. METHODS The sample powder was ultrasonically extracted with 70% methanol. The analysis was performed on Kromasil 100-5-C₁₈ column(4.6 mm×250 mm, 5 μm). The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile(A) and 0.4% phosphoric acid solution(B) using a gradient elution, the flow rate was 1.0 mL·min^-1. The peaks were monitored at both 426 nm and 216 nm. Then analyzed the common patterns and composition differences between Curcuma phaeocaulis and Curcuma wenyujin. RESULTS The linear range of bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, curcumin, curcumenol, curdione, furanodienone, germacrone and furanodiene were 3.90-155.9 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 6), 3.52-140.9 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 4), 4.34-173.8 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 5), 36.88-1 475.2 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 4), 142.45-5 698 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 9), 36.47-1 458.9 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 9), 48.04-1 921.8 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 3), 37.52-1 500.6 μg·mL^-1(r=0.999 9). The average recoveries(n=3) were 99.4%-100.3%. As the results of determination of eight compounds of 20 batches of Curcumae Rhizoma showed:curcuminoids in Curcuma phaeocaulis were higher than that in Curcuma wenyujin. The results of chemometrics shows that curdione and furanodienone were the important distinguishing component between Curcuma phaeocaulis and Curcuma wenyujin. CONCLUSION This method is consistent with the method validation requirements, and can be used for the simultaneous determination of curcumins and sesquiterpenes in Curcuma Rhizoma.