Analysis of saponins in raw and steamed Panax notoginseng using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of six saponins (notoginsenoside R1, ginsenosides Rg1, Re, Rb1, Rc, Rd) in raw and steamed Panax notoginseng. Linearity (r2 > 0.9988), intra- and inter-day precision (RSD < 4%), limit of detection (0.008-0.013 mg/ml), limit of quantification (0.027-0.042 mg/ml) of the saponins were determined. The method was successfully applied to 11 pairs of raw and steamed P. notoginseng products. Three products showed discrepancies between theirlabelled claims (raw or steamed) and the results of analysis. This new, simple and reliable method could be used in the quality control of raw and steamed P. notoginseng.