title: Exploring the ester-exchange reactions of diester-diterpenoid alkaloids in the aconite decoction process by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: The chemical components in the decoctions of Chinese herbal medicines are not always the same as those in the crude herbs because of the insolubility or instability of some compounds. In this work electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry was used to explore the ester-exchange reactions for aconitine-type diester-diterpenoid alkaloids occurring during the process of decocting aconite root. The aconitines were screened in a diverse range of samples, including crude aconite, decoction of crude aconite, residues from decoction of crude aconite, prepared aconite, decoction of prepared aconite, decoction of prepared aconite with added palmitic acid, and decoction of a mixture of mesaconitine and hypaconitine standards with liquorice root. It was found that diester-diterpenoid aconitines were converted into lipo-alkaloids as well as monoester alkaloids by the decoction of aconite.
authors.affiliation: The New Drug Laboratory of the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Changchun 130022, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Fengrui
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Zhiqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shuying
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D031841:Aconitum / Q000737:chemistry*; D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D004951:Esterification; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019308:Palmitic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D004224:Diterpenes; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004952:Esters; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019308:Palmitic Acid