[Determination of four n-butyrophenone compounds contained in rhubarb using RP-HPLC]

To establish the method for determining the contets of 4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, lindleyin, isolindleyin, and 4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl )-2-butanone-4'-O-beta-D-(2"-O-galloyl-6"-O-cinnamoyl)-glucopyranoside contained in rhubarb.

Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 analytical column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) was adopted as the chromatographic column, with acetonitrile-0.05% phosphoric acid as mobile phase for gradient elute. The flow rate was 1 mL x min(-1), and detective wavelength was set at 268 nm.

4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone, lindleyin, isolindleyin, and 4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone-4'-O-beta-D-(2"-O-galloyl-6"-O-cinnamoyl)-glucopyranoside showed good resolutions . The four standard curves displayed good linear relationship within the detection rate (r > 0.9999), with their detection limit of less than 1.76 ng and quantitation limit of less than 4.98 ng. At the high, medium and low levels, their RSDs of inter- and intra-day precision were less than 2.3%, with recovery of more than 91.8%.

The method is so simple, rapid, accurate and reliable that it can provide reference for comprehensive quality evaluation on rhubarb.