Determination of Four Alkaloids from Sophora flavescens Root by HPLC

Abstract

Four alkaloids (matrine, sophocarpine, oxymatrine and sophoridine) were simultaneous separated by high performance liquid chromatography. The analysis was carried out on a C₁₈ column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with the mobile phase (methanol/water/diethylamine (45:55:0.07, v/v/v)) at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. Results showed that there was a good linear relationship when the content of four alkaloids were in the range of 5.0 mg/L ~ 1000 mg/L (n = 5) and the detection limits were 1.0 mg/L, respectively. This method can be used to determine the four alkaloids in sophora flavescens root and it also can be provided a rapid method for calculating recovery and extraction rate in extraction process.