Simultaneous HPLC quantification of seven chromones in Aloe barbadensis Miller using a single reference standard

Multi-component analysis has been considered to be one of the key techniques for quality control of traditional Chinese medicines. However, the shortage and high cost of reference standards have become the greatest obstacles in implementing this goal. An alternative method using only an easily available reference standard as the internal standard to determine multiple analogues has gained increasing attention. In the present study, a practical HPLC method was established for the simultaneous quantification of seven chromones in Aloe barbadensis Miller using a single reference standard. An easily available compound in the plant named 8-C-glucosyl-7-O-methyl-(S)-aloesol (3) was selected as the internal standard, and the other six chromones were determined by their relative response factors. The results indicated that the established method was accurate and reliable for the routine quality control of A. barbadensis. 6 batches of A. barbadensis samples were analyzed using this method and no significant difference was observed in the results obtained using the established method and external standard method. The newly developed method can serve as an alternative approach when reference standards are difficult to obtain. This achievement would promote the quality control of A. barbadensis.