Chem. Pharm. Bull. 54(2) 255—259 (2006)

Chinese), the dried rhizome of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (Umbelliferae), is one of the major clinically used cardiovascular-protective botanic medicines in China. Having a reputation for facilitating blood circulation and dispersing blood stasis, this herb is commonly prescribed for the treatment of angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension and stroke. Currently, the quality assessment standard of Chuanxiong is based on the content of the marker compounds ferulic acid or/and ligustilide, the bioactive compounds identified in Chuanxiong herb. However, due to multiple constituents that might be involved in the therapeutic functions, the content of a single or a few marker compounds cannot accurately reflect the quality of herbal products. To ensure the quality, efficacy and safety (QES) of Chuanxiong herb and Chuanxiong-containing preparations, the demand for a quality assessment standard that is based on the chemical identification of its major constituents is necessary. In this paper, an HPLC-DAD-MS method with a comprehensive validation protocol for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of the major constituents in Chuanxiong is presented.