Simultaneous quantification of marker components in Ojeok-san by HPLC-DAD

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Pharmacognosy
• Herbal Medicine Analysis

Background:

• Traditional Korean herbal medicines like Ojeok-san require robust analytical methods for quality control.
• Identifying and quantifying multiple marker compounds simultaneously is crucial for ensuring the efficacy and safety of herbal formulations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) method.
• To enable the rapid, accurate, and simultaneous quantification of eight specific marker compounds in Ojeok-san.

Main Methods:

• A Dionex C(18) column was used with a gradient elution of water and methanol at 1 ml/min.
• High-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was employed for separation and quantification.
• Method validation included linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision (RSD), and recovery tests.

Main Results:

• The method achieved separation of eight marker compounds (paeoniflorin, 6-gingerol, decursin, glycyrrhizin, cinnamic acid, hesperidin, poncirin, and magnolol) in under 50 minutes.
• Excellent linearity (R(2) > 0.9922) was observed for all calibration curves.
• Validation parameters demonstrated high accuracy (94.27–107.68% recovery) and precision (RSD < 2.60%).

Conclusions:

• The developed HPLC-DAD method is stable, rapid, and highly accurate for the simultaneous quantification of eight marker compounds in Ojeok-san.
• This validated method provides a reliable tool for the quality control and standardization of Ojeok-san.
• The findings contribute to ensuring the consistent quality of this traditional Korean herbal medicine.