Relationship between HPLC fingerprints and in vivo pharmacological effects of a traditional Chinese medicine: Radix Angelicae Dahuricae.

We report the fingerprint development of a traditional Chinese medicine Radix Angelicae Dahuricae root and the correlation of the fingerprint peaks with its in vivo pharmacological effects. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods with the computer aided similarity evaluation were validated and used in serial pharmacological studies in mice. The major constituents of R. Angelicae Dahuricae were successfully separated by the HPLC methods, and the effects of sedation and analgesia were mainly related to the chromatographic peaks of group II. The anti-inflammatory, anti-heat stroke and anti-endotoxemic effects were mainly related to the peaks in group III. These results indicated a correlation between the HPLC fingerprints in groups and the pharmacological effects of R. Angelicae Dahuricae. This simple and accurate method can be used for the identification of the active components of R. Angelicae Dahuricae and for the quality control of its pharmaceutical preparations.