Fast quality control of Herba Epimedii by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Herba Epimedii is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) having the effect of nourishing the kidney and strengthening the ‘Yang’. Its primary effective constituents are considered to be the 8-prenyl flavonols, which can be assorted into 4′-methoxyl-prenylflavonols (MPFs) and 4′-hydroxyl-prenylflavonols (HPFs), according to the group (methoxyl or hydroxyl) located at 4′ in their structures. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) has been widely used in the researches of TCMs. In the present study, the FT-IR was attempted to be applied in the quality control of Herba Epimedii. We compared the IR spectra of 17 pure flavonoids, of which eight were derived from Herba Epimedii, and found a characteristic absorption peak at 1259 ± 1 cm−1, corresponding to the MPFs, the major 8-prenyl flavonols in the aerial parts of the Epimedium species. This peak could also be found in the IR spectra of both the herbal samples and their 70% ethanol extracts. Moreover, the intensity of this peak was in the direct correlation with the total content of MPFs. The correlation values, representing the semblance of two spectra, of the IR spectrum of herbal sample and icariin, in the range of 1280–1200 cm−1, had been established to be a good index for the quality control of the herbs. Accordingly, a correlation value of not less than 0.50 could be used as the essential screening criteria for the herbs. The FT-IR could be used for the fast and effective quality control of Herba Epimedii.