Simultaneous determination of five major biologically active ingredients in different parts of Gardenia jasminoides fruits by HPLC with diode-array detection

A simple, sensitive and specific HPLC method for the simultaneous separation and determination of geniposide, geniposidic acid, chlorogenic acid, crocin 1 and 2 in fruits of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis was developed. Optimum chromatographic performance was obtained with a C-18 column and acetonitrile-0.1% aqueous trifluoroacetic acid (v/v) as mobile phase. Isolated peaks were detected at 2,40 nm for geniposidic acid and geniposide, 330 nm for chlorogenic acid and 440 nm for crocin 1 and 2, respectively. Comparison of spectra recorded with a diode-array detector during elution of peaks enabled determination of method specificity. Quantitative determinations on different parts of gardenia fruit demonstrated that all these compounds were abundant mainly in pericarps and pulps and only iridoid glycosides were also presented in sepals and seeds of the fruits.