Efficient method for extraction and simultaneous determination of active constituents in Cornus officinalis by reflux extraction and high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection

A high performance liquid chromatography diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) based method was developed for the simultaneous determination of the three active constituents, morroniside, loganin, and gallic acid in Cornus officinalis fruits. The separation was achieved on a C18 column with a gradient solvent system of acetonitrile, methanol, and 0.1% acetic acid at 260 nm. The method was validated for linearity, repeatability, limits of detection, and limits of quantification. The analytes were confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In addition, the effect of various parameters including solvent, extraction technique, and time on the extraction of the three active constituents from C. officinalis fruits was examined. The highest extraction efficiency was obtained with 100% methanol using reflux extraction. The developed method could be used to effectively and comprehensively evaluate the quality of C. officinalis.