Analysis of catechins and purine alkaloids in tea plants by high performance liquid chromatography

Catechins and purine alkaloids were important bioactive components in tea plants. The contents of these compounds in several tea plants were determined by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Partisil ODS column(250 mm×4.6 mm i.d.,10 μm) was used. Catechins were separated and detemined by linear gradient elutions for the rate of flow and concentration, with water, methanol, formic acid and dimethyl formamide as mobile phase. Purine alkaloids were separated and detemined by isocratic elution with methanol∶water 40∶60(V/V) as mobile phase. Linear relationship was obtained under the optimum condition for every component.The recoveries of the controls were betwween 93.65%～98.95%, and the relatively standard deviations were within the range of 0.69% to 2.26%.