Determination of Total Tritorpenoid Saponin in Different Buds Stages of Lonicerae Flos

OBJECTIVE To establish the determination method of total triterpenoid saponins in Lonicerae Flos. METHODS The colorimetric method was used with vanillin-perchloric acid as the chromogenic reagent. The detection wavelength was set at 477 nm. RESULTS The linear range of macranthoidin B was 0.501-6.012 μg·mL^-1 and the average recovery was 100.1%. The contents of total triterpenoid saponin in the samples collected from the different stages of the buds of L. macranthoides were various and fluctuated from 8.00%-21.41%. CONCLUSION The obvious difference of the total content of triterpenoid saponin is observed in six development stages of the whole flower season of L. macranthoides. The content of total teripenoid saponin in the silver phase is highest and the bud phase is lowest. The present investigation provides the scientific evidences for the optimal selection of collection and process of Lonicerae Flos.