Abstract: The method of high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) fingerprint analysis for flavonoids from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. was established with uniform experimental design and information theory evaluation. The fingerprint similarity of 10 batches of Houttuynia cordata Thunb., which were planted under the same cultivation conditions, was evaluated with the developed method and the fingerprint evaluation software proposed by our laboratory. The similarity was greater than 0.90. The contents of rutin, quercitrin and quercetin were 0.25%~0.34%, 0.27%~0.37% and 0.012%~0.016%, respectively. Furthermore, obvious difference was observed among the fingerprints of three kinds of flavonoids produced from different seasons and different parts through principal component analysis and content determination, and the difference from medicinal parts was greater than that from season. This method provide reliable basic information for the specification of flavonoids from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. in the pharmaceutical and medicinal practical application.

Key words: fingerprint, flavonoids, Houttuynia cordata Thunb., high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)