A nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE) method was developed for simultaneous assay of three bioactive components (1: cryptotanshinone; 2: tanshinone IIA, and 3: tanshinone I) in Radix Salviae miltiorrhizae and in its herbal preparations for the first time. After optimization of separation conditions, a buffer of 250 mmol L(-1) ammonium acetate containing 30% acetonitrile and 1.0% acetic acid (V:V) in methanol was selected for separating the three analytes, but baseline separation of tanshinon I and tanshinone IIA was not obtained. Therefore second-order derivative electropherograms were applied for resolving overlapping peaks. Regression equations revealed good linear relationships (correlation coefficients 0.9943-0.9991) between peak heights in second-order derivative electropherograms and concentrations of the three analytes. The relative standard deviations (RSD) of the migration times and the peak height of the three constituents were in the range of 0.81 -0.88% and 0.34-1.13% (intra-day), 1.57-1.86% and 3.05-5.52% (inter-day), respectively. The recoveries of three constituents ranged from 90.2 to 108.5%. The results indicated that baseline separation of the analytes was sometimes hard to obtain and second-order derivative electropherograms were applicable for the resolving and analysis of overlapping peaks.

An efficient micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography method was developed to analyze three major active components including morroniside, loganin and gallic acid in Fructus corni and its six preparations for the first time. The factors that could affect the separation were studied, such as the pH of the buffer, concentrations of SDS, organic modifier and beta-CD, and the applied voltage. The optimum analysis conditions were 10 mmol/L NaH(2)PO(4)-5 mmol/L Na(2)B(4)O(7) (pH 6.8) buffer containing 140 mmol/L SDS, 1 mmol/L beta-CD, 5% (v/v) methanol and 12.5 kV applied voltage. The linearity between the peak-areas and the concentrations of the analytes were investigated, and they exhibit excellent linear behavior over the concentration ranges (correlation coefficients 0.9953-0.9995). In addition, the pK(a) of gallic acid was determined using capillary zone electrophoresis. The result was consistent with that reported by the literature.

A novel, rapid, and simple capillary electrophoresis (CE) method has been developed for the determination of antimalarial artemisinin by on-line treatment with alkaline. By on-line reaction, artemisinin was automatically and reproducibly converted to the strongly UV-absorbing compound, Q292, by treating it with 0.20 mol/L NaOH solution for 3 min at 40 degrees C. Analysis was carried out in less than 12 min after conversion of artemisinin in a flow injection (FI) system that was coupled to CE equipment via a split-flow interface cell, and a sampling frequency of 8 h(-1) is achievable. The on-line conversion method has been applied to the determination of artemisinin in the traditional Chinese herbal drug Artemisia annua L., and the results are satisfactory.

A simple, rapid, reproducible, and universal non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for the separation and determination of three major active protoberberine alkaloids including berberine, palmatine, and jatrorrhizine within 7 min. The effects of the concentrations of acetic acid and electrolyte, the ratio of organic solvent, and the applied voltage on the separation were investigated. The optimum running buffer was composed of 50 mM ammonium acetate, 0.5% (v/v) acetic acid, and 10% (v/v) acetonitrile in methanol. The applied voltage was 18 kV. The analytes were detected by UV at 214 nm. The linearities between peak areas and the concentrations of the analytes were also investigated, and they exhibit excellent linear behavior over the concentration ranges (correlation coefficients: 0.9975-0.9986). The method was successfully applied to determine the three alkaloids in several families of herbal drugs (Rhizoma Coptidis, Cortex Berberidis, Cortex Phellodendri, Herba Chelidonii, Caulis Mahoniae) and their relevant medicinal preparations for the first time, and the recoveries of the three constituents ranged between 95.6-103.2% for berberine, 97.5-103.3% for palmatine, and 96.1 -103.6% for jatrorrhizine.

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