Changes of Paeonol and Paeoniflorin Contents in Chinese Moutan (Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews) Cultivars with Different Harvesting Times and their Parts

We analyzed six cultivars of Chinese Moutan, Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews, using HPLC for the investigation of appropriate root harvesting time and distributions of paeonol and paeoniflorin according to the seasonal changes. The contents of paeonol remained nearly constant at different harvesting times. However, the paeoniflorin contents have changed significantly during the harvesting time. These showed the increasing tendency in May, July and September. We compared the distribution of two compounds between two cultivars with different flower forms, Dan Feng and Wu Long Feng Sheng. The contents of paeonol were very low in the leaf and annual shoot. This tendency was not changed during five harvesting times. But the paeoniflorin existed abundantly in the leaf and root. The contents of paeoniflorin in the leaf were highest in May, and gradually decreased.