Simultaneous determination of jatrorrhizine, palmatine, berberine, and obacunone in Phellodendri Amurensis Cortex by RP-HPLC

OBJECTIVE: To develop a HPLC method to determine the content of jatrorrhizine, palmatine, berberine, and obacunone in Phellodendri Amurensis Cortex simultaneously. MEHTOD: The separations were carried out at 25 degrees C on a Phenomenex Gemini C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted with acetonitril and water containing 0.1% phosphoric acid in gradient mode. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1), detection wavelengthes were 345 nm for jatrorrhizine , palmatine, berberine and 210 nm for obacunone. RESULT: The average recoveries of jatrorrhizine, palmatine, berberine, and obacunone were 98.94%, 101.17%, 96.22% and 98.90%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The method is simple, accurate and repeatable, and can be used in content determination of jatrorrhizine, palmatine, berberine, and obacunone in Phellodendri Amurensis Cortex.