[HPLC determination of five constituents in plants of genus Ligusticum]

A RP-HPLC method was established to separate and determine five constituents in plants of genus Ligusticum by using an ODS column (Hypersil-C18, 5 microns) and acetonitrile (containing 1.25% CHCl3)--water (saturated with CHCl3) as mobile phase for gradient elution. The five constituents were ferulic acid, scopoletin, 3-butyl-phthalide, ligustilide, and diligustide. They were detected at 284 nm. Peak purity was monitored by photodiode array detector. Benzthiazide was used as the internal standard. The method is simple, fast, sensitive and reproducible.