Ultra-performance convergence chromatography for the quantitative determination of bioactive compounds in Aralia continentalis Kitagawa as quality control markers

A rapid ultra-performance convergence chromatography method was developed for the quantitative determination of bioactive compounds in Aralia continentalis as quality control markers. Quantitative analysis indicated the presence of two major bioactive compounds: diterpenoid acids continentalic acid and kaurenoic acid. Using a Torus 1-aminoanthracene column, continentalic acid and kaurenoic acid were separated in less than 8 min. The method was validated with respect to precision, accuracy, and linearity according to the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The optimized method exhibited a good linear correlation (r² > 0.996), excellent precision (RSD < 1.0%), and acceptable recoveries (99.97-100.26%). Limits of detection for continentalic acid and kaurenoic acid were 0.068 and 0.097 μg/mL, respectively, while their corresponding limits of quantitation were 0.207 and 0.295 μg/mL. The system performance of ultra-performance convergence chromatography was compared with that of conventional high-performance liquid chromatography with respect to analysis time and efficiency. The proposed method was found to be reliable and convenient for the quantitative analysis of continentalic acid and kaurenoic acid in A. continentalis from South Korea and A. pubescens from China. This study is expected to serve as a guideline for the quality control of Aralia continentalis.