Quality Evaluation of Gastrodia Elata Tubers Based on HPLC Fingerprint Analyses and Quantitative Analysis of Multi-Components by Single Marker

Abstract

<i>Gastrodia elata</i> (<i>G. elata</i>) tuber is a valuable herbal medicine used to treat many diseases. The procedure of establishing a reasonable and feasible quality assessment method for <i>G. elata</i> tuber is important to ensure its clinical safety and efficacy. In this research, an effective and comprehensive evaluation method for assessing the quality of <i>G. elata</i> has been developed, based on the analysis of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint, combined with the quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker (QAMS) method. The contents of the seven components, including gastrodin, <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, <i>p</i>-hydroxy benzaldehyde, parishin A, parishin B, parishin C, and parishin E were determined, simultaneously, using gastrodin as the reference standard. The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference between the QAMS method and the traditional external standard method (ESM) (<i>p</i> > 0.05, RSD < 4.79%), suggesting that QAMS was a reliable and convenient method for the content determination of multiple components, especially when there is a shortage of reference substances. In conclusion, this strategy could be beneficial for simplifying the processes in the quality control of <i>G. elata</i> tuber and giving references to promote the quality standards of herbal medicines.