Qualitative and quantitative determination of sesquiterpenoids in Achillea species by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, mass-spectrometry and thin-layer chromatography.

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed as a universal analysis system in order to determine and quantify antiphlogistic sesquiterpenoids in different Achillea species. Identification was performed by HPLC and diode array detection as well as by monitoring the HPLC fractions by TLC and MS. Using santonin as internal standard, HPLC separations were achieved with a methanol-water gradient system using RP 8 LiChrospher 100 (5 microm) as stationary phase. For validation, sample analyses were performed, using the two tetraploid species A. collina and A. pratensis. The method allows the identification and quantification of the main compounds achillicin, 8alpha-tigloxy-artabsin, 8alpha-angeloxy-artabsin, arglanin and santamarin with variation coefficients between 3.4 and 4.7% (total content) using santonin as internal standard. For the different compounds recovery was found between 81 and 107% performing multiple analyses of A. collina and A. pratensis.