HPLC Analysis of Cordyceps for Its adenosine and Cordycepin Contents

In the RP-HPLC determination of adenosine and cordycepin in cordyceps,Waters NOVA-PAK C18 (3.9 mm×300 mm,4 μm) was used as chromatographic column,and KH2PO4-K2HPO4 buffer of 0.01 mol·L-1 (pH 6.86) +1%(V/V) tetrahydrofuran was used as mobile phase,passing through the column at the flow-rate of 1.0 mL·min-1.UV-detection at wavelength of 260 nm was used in the determinations.Linear relationships between the peak area and concentration of adenosine and cordycepin were obtained in the ranges of 1.27-50.5 mg·L-1 and 3.23-129.0 mg·L-1 respectively.Detection limit of adenosine was found to be 0.18 ng and of cordycepin to be 0.25 ng.Precision of the method was tested at the concentration levels of 5.05 mg·L-1 (for adenosine) and 12.9 mg·L-1 (for cordycepin),and the values of RSD′s (n=7) found were 0.094% and 0.792% respectively.Recovery was tested by the standard addition method,and values of average recovery obtained were 103.2% (for adenosine) and 98.5% (for cordycepin).