[Sampling in quality control of medicinal materials-A case of Epimedium].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of the different individual number of sampling on the assay results of the medicinal materials.

METHODS

Epimedium pubescens and E. brevicornu were used as samples. The 6 sampling levels were formulated as 1 individual, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 individuals mix, each level with 3 parallels and 1 individual level5 parallels. The contents of epimedin C and icariin, and the peak areas of epimedin A, epimedin B, rhamnosyl icarisid II and icarisid II in all samples were analyzed by HPLC.

RESULTS

The variation degree varied with species and chemical constituents, but the RSD and the deviation from the true value decreased with the increase of individual number on the same chemical constituent.

CONCLUSIONS

The sampling number should be more than 10 individuals in quality control of Epimedium, and 50 or more individuals would be better for representing the quality of medicinal materials.