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Gardeniae fructus is one of the medicinal herbs that have been used in Far Eastern countries, such as Korea, China, and Japan. Gardeniae fructus is the dried ripe fruit of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis (Rubiaceae) and has been used as a yellow dye. It is widely used as traditional herbal medicine for reducing fever, cholagogue, diuretic and antiphlogistic effects. We established an analytical method that was useful to evaluate the quality control, and standardize quantification monitoring of 68 samples of Gardeniae fructus collected from Korea and China. While numerous previous studies have focused on the simultaneous analysis of geniposide, which constitutes the higher proportion of Gardeniae fructus, and crocin, which determines its color, no simultaneous analysis of gardenoside and geniposide, the major components of Gardeniae Fructus, has been performed. However, previously reported methods are not considered accurate enough because only geniposide or gardenoside was chosen to be the marker component for the quality control of Gardeniae fructus. Thus, we developed the method using simultaneous determination of four components including geniposide, gardenoside, geniposic acid and chlorogenic acid. Against this backdrop, this study aims to propose a new calculation for gardenoside and geniposide concentrations by analyzing their concentrations in Gardeniae fructus.

Objective: To establish an HPLC fingerprint of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa and compare the differences between its ordinary powder and ultrafine powder., Methods: The analysis was carried out on a Kromasil C18 (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) column with gradient elution of acetonitrile-0.4% phosphoric acid at the flow rate of 1.0 ml/min. The wavelength was 240 nm during 0 - 40 min and 440 nm during 40 - 80 min., Results: HPLC fingerprint of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa was established, 23 common peaks were identified,and the similarity of 10 samples was greater than 0.9. Ultrafine grinding did not change the types and number of chemical compositions, but it obviously increased the content of main chemical compositions., Conclusion: The HPLC fingerprint is accurate, reliable and repeatable, which can be used for quality control of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa. Ultrafine grinding can stimulate the release of chemical components of Gardenia jasminoides f. longicarpa.

Objective: To study effects of different harvest times and processing methods on the quality of Gardeniae Fructus., Method: The content of asminoidin and the similarity of the fingerprint of Gardeniae Fructus were determined and applied for assessment of the quality., Result: Gardeniae Fructus harvested in October with yellow-green appearance was the better time point for harvest. Drying in the sun and boiling in the water is the better processing method for Gardeniae Fructus., Conclusion: Different harvest times and processing methods can affect the quality of Gardeniae Fructus.

Objective: To determinate geniposide and croein-1 in Fructus Gardeniae from different breeds., Methods: RP-HPLC method was adopted. The chromatographic separation was performed on an Eclipse XDB-C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm, Agilent). The mobile phase was a mixture of acetonitrile-0.1% phosphoric acid aqueous solution in gradient elution. The wavelength of 238 nm and 440 nm was selected to determinate geniposide and crocins simultaneously., Result: The contents of geniposide and croein-1 in different breeds of Fructus Gardeniae are different., Conclusion: This method is simple and repeatable, and could be used for the quality control of Fructus Gardeniae.