Quantitative phytochemical analysis of 11 Hypericum species growing in China

This study is to compare the contents of 5 constituents (hypericin, hyperforin, hyperoside, quercetin, rutin) in 11 Hypericum species growing in China and to seek the possible substitute for Hypericum perforatum. RP-HPLC methods were developed for the analyses of 5 substances in 11 Hypericum species. The contents of 5 constituents in 11 Hypericum species were very different, and those of rutin, hyperoside, hypericin in Hypericum perforatum were higher than in others; Hypericin were detected only in 4 herbs including Hypericum perforatum, H. faberi, H. sampsonii and H. wightianum, and was not detected in shrubs; Hyperforin were found in 11 samples and the content of it in H. lancasteri were higher than in H. perforatum.