Quantitative Determination of Triterpenoidal Saponins in Platycodi radix and Its Variation in Different Regions of Korean Peninsula: A Herbal Plant Used as Traditional Medicine

This survey was undertaken in different provinces in order to evaluate the contents of triterpenoidal saponins in Platycodi radix and its variation in different regions of Korea. HPLC and ESI-MS analysis were conducted for identification and quantification of ten know and four unknown compounds. Fourteen saponin compounds such as deapio-platycoside E, platycoside E, platycodin D3, platyconic acid A, platycodin D2, platycodin D, mixture of polygalacin D2 and 3'-O-acetyl-platycodin D, polygalacin D, 3'-O-acetyl-polygalacin D, 2'-O-acetyl-platycodin D and four unknown compounds widely ranged from 2,643 to 23,599 mg/kg dry weight (DW) in the 3-year-old roots and from 5,693 to 34,205 mg/kg DW in the 2-year-old roots, respectively. Since KFDA has not assigned any individual compounds for the quality control of Platycodi radix, we would suggest using Platycodi radix from the region of Jinan because the samples contain moderate total saponins contents.