A precise and specific method for quick determination of sulfur fumigation for moutan cortex

摘要

Objective: Establish a quick, precise and specific method to determine whether the moutan cortex obtained from market is processed with sulfur; provide a reliable method for the scientific evaluation.Methods: Three methods, including acid-base titration method, high-performance liquid-chromatography（HPLC） method, and ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UHPLC-TOF-MS） method were used to detect whether30 batches of samples were fumigated with sulfur.Results: The results of three methods were substantially the same. Fifteen batches were identified to have been processed with sulfur fumigation, while others were not.Conclusions: The HPLC method was found to be most appropriate for the determination of sulfur fumigation for moutan cortex.