Ruggedness and robustness of conversion factors in method of simultaneous determination of multi-components with single reference standard

Single standard to determine multi-components (SSDMC) is a novel and rational method for quality control of botanical products and traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). However, it is restricted to wide application due to unknown fluctuation in conversion factors when it is performed in different laboratories. To evaluate the fluctuations of conversion factors, we selected Salvia miltiorrhiza as an example to determine three components of tanshinones by SSDMC method. Then ruggedness and robustness test were adopted to comprehensively investigate three kinds of factors that may influence stability of conversion factors, which were related with environmental parametric variables, operational parametric variables and peak measurement parametric variables. Nested-factorial-design was used to perform ruggedness tests. One-variable-at-a-time (OVAT) procedure and Plackett–Burman (PB) design were both used in robustness test. The results showed that stability of conversion factors was principally related with accuracy of wavelength of UV detector, peak measurement parameters and concentration of standard solution. The acceptable range of conversion factors was obtained from robustness test. Our results showed that conversion factors were inevitable to change, but when key parameters were well controlled, the range of its fluctuation was acceptable and the SSDMC method could be used widely in different laboratories.