Abstract:Objective: To provide a scientific evidence for studying overall quality control and evaluation, pharmacodynamic material basis and compatibility regularity of Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix herbal pair by establishing an analytical method of UPLC-MS/MS fingerprint. Method: The chromatograms of twelve batches of Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix herbal medicine pairs were acquired by the method of UPLC-MS/MS. ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 μm) was adopted and eluted with the mobile phase of water (0.2% formic acid)-acetonitrile in a gradient mode for 80 min at the speed of 0.3 mL·min-1, and the column temperature was 40 ℃. The similarity was evaluated on the basis of the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (version 2004A) issued by Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission. Result: The common pattern of fingerprint of Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix herbal pair was established, and totally 16 common peaks were identified. Compared with control substances and references, seven common peaks were identified as coptisine, epiberberine, jatrorrhizine hydrochloride, baicalin, berberine hydrochloride, palmatine hydrochloride and wogonoside. The similarities of Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix herbal pairs of 12 batches of different origins and species were investigated, all of which reached 0.9. Conclusion: The analytical method of UPLC-MS/MS fingerprint of Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix herbal pair has a good accuracy, repeatability and stability (RSD<3%). It has a certain reference value for studying overall quality control and evaluation, pharmacodynamic material basis and compatibility regularity of Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix herbal pair.