Abstract

A high performance liquid chromatographic method was designed for the quantitative analysis of oxymatrine in Sophora Radix. The separation of oxymatrine was performed by reversed-phase chromatography with a C18 column and a buffered aqueous solution containing acetonitrile, and monitored by UV absorption at 215 nm. Extraction of oxymatrine in Sophora Radix was carried out using various solvents and extraction methods. The optimum extraction efficiency for the crushed Sophora Radix was achieved by reflux at 80 ℃ in 50% ethanol for five hours. Most extraction methods used to complicate pretreatments. In this study, sublimation was employed for a extraction method without going through complicate pretreatments. Sublimation was carried out under high vacuum (1 10-3 torr) and at high temperature (200 ℃). Extraction efficiency using Sublimation was found to be inferior to other extraction methods.