Determination of naphthodianthrones and phloroglucinols from Hypericum perforatum extracts by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.
Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's Wort) has long been known as a medicinal plant, and has been used for the treatment of depression and neuralgic disorders. Its main active constituents are believed to be a naphthodianthrone, hypericin, and a phloroglucinol, hyperforin. A sensitive high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/electrospray tandem mass spectrometric method for fast simultaneous determination of six major naphthodianthrones and phloroglucinols of Hypericum perforatum extract has been developed. The method, based on multiple dissociation reaction monitoring (MRM), allows the analysis of hypericin, protohypericin, pseudohypericin, protopseudo-hypericin, hyperforin and adhyperforin from the extract in less than 5 min. Good linearity over the range 0.1-1000 ng/mL for hyperforin and 2-500 ng/mL for hypericin was observed. Intra-assay accuracy and precision varied from 2 to 19% within these ranges. Lower levels of quantitation for hyperforin were 0.5 ng/mL and 2 ng/mL for hypericin.
Tolonen
Ari
A
Department of Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, 90014 Oulu, Finland. ari.tolonen@oulu.fi
Uusitalo
Jouko
J
Hohtola
Anja
A
Jalonen
Jorma
J
D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000032:analysis*; D002138:Calibration; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010696:Phloroglucinol / Q000032:analysis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis; D011786:Quality Control
D000880:Anthraquinones; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010696:Phloroglucinol