title: Rapid and sensitive screening and characterization of phenolic acids, phthalides, saponins and isoflavonoids in Danggui Buxue Tang by rapid resolution liquid chromatography/diode-array detection coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry.
abstract: A novel rapid resolution liquid chromatography (RRLC) method coupled with diode-array detection (DAD) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) in both positive and negative modes has been developed for quick and sensitive identification of the major compounds in Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT) preparation. Significant advantages of the use of RRLC with 1.8-microm porous particles include the much higher speed of chromatographic separation and great enhancement in sensitivity, compared with the conventional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). With dynamic adjustment of the key role as fragmentor voltage in TOFMS, an efficient transmission of the ions was achieved to obtain the best sensitivity for providing the molecular formula for each analyte, and abundant fragment ions for structural information. The structural characterization of the major compounds in DBT was elucidated with authentic standards by DAD-TOF/MS, including phenolic acids, phthalides, saponins and isoflavonoids. The targets were rapidly screened from the complicated DBT matrix using a narrow mass window of 0.01 Da to restructure extracted ion chromatograms. By accurate mass measurements within 3 ppm error for each molecular ion and subsequent fragment ions, ten phenolic acids and phthalides including three groups of isomers, thirteen major saponins with a 20,24-epoxy-9,19-cyclolanostane-3,6,16,25-tetrol skeleton, sixteen isoflavonoids, corresponding glycosides, malonylglycosides, and acetylglycosides were identified in DBT preparation. The appropriate fragmentation pathways for them were also proposed based on definite elemental composition of the fragment ions.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicines (China Pharmaceutical University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210009, China.
authors.forename: Lian-Wen
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Chang-Yin
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Yu-Xia
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Lan
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiao-Xiao
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D001572:Benzofurans / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000737:chemistry*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D007529:Isoflavones; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; C477279:danggui buxue decoction; C082022:phthalide; C017616:phenolic acid