Quality analysis of 'whitish' Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza in Luanchuan Region of Henan Province by TLC and HPLC

Objective To study the sample quality of 'whitish' Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza(the root of a grown-environmental-influenced variant sample of Salvia miltiorrhiza,which cortex and transection is white) grown in Luanchuan Region of Henan Province and normal Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza by the means of TLC and HPLC chromatographic fingerprints;hence to compare the difference of their constituents.Methods TLC Chromatographic condition: Precoated silica gel F_(254) plate;hydrophilic and lipophilic constituents were developed and derivatizated with different solvent systems and visualization reagents,respectively.HPLC Chromatographic condition: Zorbax SB C_(18) column;hydrophilic and lipophilic constituents were gradient eluted,respectively.Results The 'whitish' Radix Salvia Miltiorrhiza contains lower content of lipophilic compounds,the main diterpene quinones was only trace amount,while the content of hydrophilic constituents was relatively higher.Conclusion The 'whitish' phenomenon suggests that the 'micro'-environmental condition can probably influence negatively the bio-synthesis of diterpene-quinones.The factors of influence still need further study.Such phenomenon would be worth concerning seriously for GAP administration.