Quantitative Determination of Protoberebrines from the Roots of Coptis chinensis

A simple reversed phase HPLC method was developed for extracting pharmacologically active compounds coptisine, palmatine, berberine, and epiberberine from the roots of Coptis chinensis using a binary gradient of acetonitrile : 10 mM hexanesulfonic acid-Na monohydrate with UV detection at 254 nm. The coptisine (1), palmatine (2), berberine (3), and epiberberine (4) contents of the roots of C. chinensis collected from sixteen district markets in Korea and China were , , , and , respectively.