Establishment of HPLC Fingerprint of Different Drying Methods of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Study on Spectrum Effect Relationship

ABSTRACT To study the spectrum–effect relationship between antioxidant activity and HPLC fingerprint of Salvia miltiorrhiza with different drying methods. The fingerprints of 21 batches of S. miltiorrhiza dried by different drying methods were examined by HPLC, and the common peaks were identified by comparison with the control chromatogram. Among the 21 batches of dried S. miltiorrhiza samples, there were 15 common peaks with a similarity greater than 0.971; a total of eight components were identified, which are Danshensu, Rosmarinic acid, Lithospermic acid, Salvianolic acid B, Dihydrotanshinone, Cryptotanshinone, Tanshinone I, and Tanshinone II A . Different drying methods affect the content of chemical components and antioxidant capacity of S. miltiorrhiza , among which the freeze‐drying sample has strong antioxidant activity. Among them, freeze‐drying exhibits strong antioxidant activity. This experiment successfully established the fingerprint spectrum of S. miltiorrhiza and its antioxidant activity‐spectrum relationship. Phenolic acids may be the material basis for the antioxidant effects of different dried products of S. miltiorrhiza , which can provide a reference for the research on the pharmacological material basis and quality control of S. miltiorrhiza .