A Simple Isocratic High-perfomance Liquid Chromatography Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Shikonin Derivatives in Some Echium Species Growing Wild in Turkey

Objectives: Dried roots of Echium species are used in Turkey for the treatment of wounds, inflammation, and depression. In this study, an reversed-phase-liquid chromatographic method with isocratic elution was developed to determine shikonin derivatives in Echium species. Materials and Methods: The chromatographic separation and quantification was performed on a C18 column (ACE, 150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 mu m), with a mobile phase of acetonitrile and 0.1 M acetic acid (70: 30, v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min, and ultraviolet detection at 520 nm. Results: Linear behavior was observed over the investigated concentration range (2-500 ppm) for all analytes, with a correlation coefficient of >0.998. The proposed method was found to be specific and precise for the quantification of shikonin derivatives in Echium species. Conclusion: The highest content of shikonin derivatives was observed in E. italicum L compared with the other species studied herein, advocating the use of E. italicum L. roots as an alternate source for shikonin derivatives.