Development of an HPLC Method for the Determination of Hydroxycinnamic Acid Derivatives in Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh) Extracts Using an Automated Method Development System

Abstract The separation of a complex mixture, such as the ingredients in medicinal plants, is typically difficult and the development of a HPLC method is a labor‐intensive and time‐consuming process if carried out manually. Automation of this process can increase productivity of a pharmaceutical R&D department substantially. This paper describes the development of a high performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in Cimicifuga racemosa extracts and its preparations by using a fully automated method development system (Waters AMDS). The developed method is based on the baseline chromatographic separation of six hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives (caffeic acid, ferulic acid, isoferulic acid, fukinolic acid, cimicifuga acid A, and cimicifuga acid B), the major constituents in Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh), on a XTerra MS C18 column with a water‐methanol gradient and photodiode array detection.