Determination of quercetin and kaempferol of four kinds of Semen Cuscutae in Shandong by HPLC

Objective: To explore the differences among contents of quercetin and kaempferol in four kinds of Semen Cuscutae in Shandong province. Methods : Quercetin and kaempferol are determined by HPLC. Results : The contents of both quercetin and kaempferol are lower in four kinds of Semen Cuscutae. The former is within 0.0002% to 0.0502% and the latter varies from 0.0002% to 0.0205%, respectively. In seeds of Cuscuta chinensis Lam., C. japonica Choisy and C.lupuliformis Krocker, quercetin contents are much higher than kaempferol contents. while in seed of C. australis R.Br., by contrast, its quercetin content is lower than kaempferol. The contents of quercetin and kaempferol have close relation with both the variety and the hostplant. Conclusion : HPLC can be used for the quality evaluation of Semen Cuscutae.