The antibacterial activity of Coptis chinensis Franch and its key components including berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine and compatibility imitation recipes were studied by microcalorimetry. The contents of Ber, Jat and Pal were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and the compatibility imitation recipes were prepared according to the content proportion of three kinds of alkaloid in the herb. The power-time curves of Bacillus shigae growth affected by Coptis chinensis Franch, Ber, Jat, Pal and these compatibility imitation recipes were monitored by microcalorimetry. Meanwhile, the biothermo-kinetics parameters obtained from these curves were analyzed using correspondence analysis. Coptis chinensis Franch, Ber, Jat, Pal and compatibility imitation recipes had different inhibitory effect on Bacillus shigae growth. The antibacterial effects of Coptis chinensis Franch and the compatibility imitation recipes were stronger than single alkaloids in this herb, and the compatibility imitation recipes did not showed obvious synergistic effect. It could be concluded that the antibacterial effect of Coptis chinensis Franch was due to the integrated action of its many components.

Key words: microcalorimetry, Coptis chinensis Franch, antibacterial effect