Fingerprint Chromatogram Analysis of Radix Glehniae by LC Coupled with Hierarchical Clustering Analysis

For the first time a validated liquid chromatography method coupled with hierarchical clustering analysis has been developed for the study of fingerprint chromatograms of extracts from the Radix Glehniae of Glehnia littorali. Liquid chromatography with gradient elution was performed on extracts from 23 plant samples collected from different geographical locations. Ten of twenty-three plant samples were selected using hierarchical clustering analysis and employed to establish the fingerprint. The fingerprint was established and ten chromatographic peaks were selected as characteristic peaks and panaxynol was used as reference standard compounds. The fingerprint chromatograms had a good stability, precision, and reproducibility. This method is a very reliable and useful method for assessment of the quality of Radix Glehniae.