Qualitative and quantitative determination of sesquiterpenoids in Achilleaspecies by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, mass-spectrometry and thin-layer chromatography

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was develop ed as a universal analysis system in order to determine and quantify antiph logistic sesquiterpenoids in different Achillea species. Identification was performed by HPLC and diode array detection as well as by monitoring the H PLC fractions by TLC and MS. Using santonin as internal standard, HPLC sepa rations were achieved with a methanol-water gradient system using RP 8 LiCh rospher 100 (5 mu m) as stationary phase. For validation, sample analyses w ere performed, using the two tetraploid species A. collina and A. pratensis . The method allows the identification and quantification of the main compo unds achillicin, 8 alpha-tigloxy-artabsin, 8 alpha-angeloxy-artabsin, argla nin and santamarin with variation coefficients between 3.4 and 4.7% (total content) using santonin as internal standard. For the different compounds r ecovery was found between 81 and 107% performing multiple analyses of A. co llina and A. pratensis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.