With a new multi-step gradient elution, a reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic (RPLC) fingerprints chromatogram of the four kinds of Epimedium L. crude drugs producing in Qinling Mountainous area of China was firstly established. The common RPLC fingerprints of the Epimedium L. crude drugs contain nine components including icariin. The icariin was selected as the internal standard and in terms of the relative amount of the nine components in the RPLC fingerprints of the four kinds of Epimedium L., the quality of the crude drugs was also evaluated. However, because of different producing areas and subgenus, each of the four RPLC fingerprints has specific character themselves. In addition, it is also found that the fingerprints of different producing areas of the Epimedium sagittatumm Maxim consist of twelve components. The RSD for the precision, stability and repeatability of all measurement are less than 3%. This method is simple, rapid, stable and has a good reproducibility. It may be used to identify the kind and to evaluate the quality of Epimedium L. crude drugs, and also to provide the scientific evidence for exploring some of available component of this drugs in the future.

Key words: Epimedium, icariin, fingerprinting, RPLC