Quantification of sugars and organic acids in hygroscopic pharmaceutical herbal dry extracts.

Three chromatographic methods have been employed for the determination of hydrophilic compounds, namely carbohydrates and organic acids in herbal dry extracts of Eschscholtzia californica Cham. The hydrophilic compounds were separated from the other components of the dry extracts by solid-phase extraction methods, which were optimised with respect to recovery rates. Carbohydrates were quantified using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection.