Qualitative and quantitative micellar electrokinetic chromatography of kavalactones from dry extracts of Piper methysticum Forst. and commercial drugs

A rapid micellar electrokinetic chromatography method with diode-array dete ction has been developed for the identification and quantitative determinat ion of the therapeutically important styrylpyrones from Piper methysticum e xtracts and commercial drugs. Using fused-silica capillaries with a berate buffer containing sodium-taurodeoxycholic acid and beta-cyclodextrin kavain , dihydrokavain, methysticin, dihydromethysticin, yangonin and demethoxyyan gonin were fully separated and quantified within 15 min with 4-hydroxybenzo ic acid methyl ester as I.S. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.