Determination of 1,8-dihydroxyanthranoids in senna

This paper describes the results of a new method for the determination of 1,8-hydroxyanthranoids in senna. This will be illustrated by examples from a study of the occurrence of 17 different 1,8-dihydroxyanthranoids (anthraquinones and their bianthranyls) in fruits and leaves of Senna angustifolia and Senna acutifolia. The anthranoids are extracted using a mixture of acetonitrile and a solution of sodium hydrogencarbonate. The different compounds are separated and detected by HPLC using an RP-8 column and a photodiode array detector. The method was optimized by means of computer-assisted method development techniques using the DryLab software.