# Development and Validation of an HPLC–PDA Method for Quality Control of Jwagwieum, an Herbal Medicine Prescription: Simultaneous Analysis of Nine Marker Compounds

## TL;DR

This study developed and validated an HPLC–PDA method to analyze nine compounds in Jwagwieum, an herbal medicine used for kidney-yin deficiency.

## Contribution

A new validated HPLC–PDA method for simultaneous quantification of nine marker compounds in Jwagwieum is introduced.

## Key findings

- The method showed high linearity with a coefficient of determination ≥0.9980.
- Recovery ranged from 96.36% to 106.95%, and precision was less than 1.20%.
- Nine compounds were detected at concentrations of 0.15–3.69 mg/lyophilized gram.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Jwagwieum (or Joa-Gui Em; JGE) consists of six herbal medicines, Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC., Dioscorea japonica Thunb., Lycium chinense Mill., Cornus officinalis Siebold & Zucc., Poria cocos Wolf, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., and has been widely used to treat kidney-yin deficiency syndrome. In the present study, a high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detector (HPLC–PDA) method for the simultaneous quantification of the nine components, i.e., gallic acid, 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, morroniside, loganin, liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, ononin, glycyrrhizin, and allantoin, was developed. Methods: The developed HPLC–PDA assay for quality control of JGE was validated with respect to linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, and precision. Results: In the regression equation of the calibration curve, the coefficient of determination was ≥0.9980, and LOD and LOQ were 0.003–0.071 μg/mL and 0.010–0.216 μg/mL, respectively. Recovery and precision (relative standard deviation) were 96.36–106.95% and <1.20%, respectively. In this analytical method, nine compounds were detected at concentrations of 0.15–3.69 mg/lyophilized gram. Conclusions: The developed and validated analytical method could be used to obtain basic data for the quality control of JGE and related herbal prescriptions.