Simultaneous quantitative analysis of multi-compounds by a single marker in Radix Astragali by using serum HPLC-MS feature.

Using the serum pharmacochemistry method for Chinese Medicine, the material basis of Radix Astragali (RA) for "regulating and enriching blood" was studied. By compared with blank blood sample as a positive control in adult Wistar rats, four original saponinsas the material basis for "regulating and enriching blood" were absorbed into the blood after oral administration of RA. They were identified as astragaloside, astragaloside, astragaloside and astragaloside by HPLC-MS. According to the constituents absorbed into blood, the extracts of RA were prepared. In addition, the present patterns of quality control are limited to industrial application because most of the natural standard ingredients are very expensive and unavailable. Therefore, a quantitative analysis method of multi-components with a single marker (QAMS) was established and used to simultaneously measure four saponins from RA absorbed into the blood (Astragaloside, astragaloside, astragaloside and astragaloside). We used astragaloside I as the reference, the relative correction factors (f) of the other three saponins were measured by HPLC-MS. Within the linear ranges, the values of f of astragaloside I to astragaloside IV, astragaloside III and astragaloside II were 0.533, 0.779 and 0.934, respectively. According to the f values, we simultaneously determined four saponins using only one marker. The results of QAMS method were validated compared to that of external standard method, and no significant difference was observed.