Validation and measurement uncertainty of HPLC method for simultaneous determination of 10 dyes in adulterated Phellodendron

As global interest in herbal medicines has increased, the adulteration of herbal medicines has become a critical safety issue. Adulteration with dyes to improve the appearance of low-quality products is of particular concern. This study aimed to develop a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to detect dyes added as adulterants to Phellodendron. Samples were analyzed on a C18 column using 50 mM ammonium acetate and acetonitrile as the mobile phase. All calibration curves showed good linearity (r² ≥0.9999) over the five-point concentration range (1-50 mg/kg). Limit of detection ranged from 0.04-0.35 mg/kg, and limit of quantification ranged from 0.11-1.07 mg/kg. The repeatability and reproducibility for these measurements were 94.2-103.3% and 96.6-103.8% for accuracy and 0.14-2.28 RSD (%) and 0.80-2.37 RSD (%) for precision. Moreover, the measurement uncertainty of the low, medium, and high concentrations for 10 dyes was considered. Thus, this HPLC method is suitable for detecting color adulteration of Phellodendron.