title: Analysis of sesquiterpene lactones in Eupatorium lindleyanum by HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aerial part Eupatorium lindleyanum is commonly used as an antipyretic and detoxicant clinically in traditional Chinese medicine. Our previous research showed that germacrane sesquiterpene lactones were its main active constituents, so the development of rapid and accurate methods for the identification of the sesquiterpene lactones is of great significance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To develop an HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS method capable for simple and rapid analysis of germacrane sesquiterpene lactones in the aerial part E. lindleyanum.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze germacrane sesquiterpene lactones of Eupatorium lindleyanum. The fragmentation behavior of germacrane sesquiterpene lactones in a Micromass Q/TOF Mass Spectrometer was discussed, and 9 germacrane sesquiterpene lactones were identified by comparison of their characteristic data of HPLC and MS analyses with those obtained from reference compounds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The investigated germacrane sesquiterpene lactones were identified as eupalinolides C (1), 3beta-acetoxy-8beta-(4'-hydroxy-tigloyloxy)-14-hydroxy-costunolide (2), eupalinolides A (3), eupalinolides B (4), eupalinolides E (5), 3beta-acetoxy-8beta-(4'-oxo-tigloyloxy)-14-hydroxy-heliangolide (6), 3beta-acetoxy-8beta-(4'-oxo- tigloyloxy)-14-hydroxy-costunolide (7), hiyodorilactone B (8), and 3beta-acetoxy-8beta-(4'-hydroxy-tigloyloxy)- costunolide (9). Compounds 6, 7 and 9 were reported for the first time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS provides a new powerful approach to identify germacrane sesquiterpene lactones in E. lindleyanum rapidly and accurately.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu key Laboratory for TCM Formulae Research, College of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 210046 Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Nian Yun
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jin Ao
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Er Xin
authors.initials: EX
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.forename: Li Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000032:analysis*; D036602:Eupatorium / Q000737:chemistry*; D007783:Lactones / Q000032:analysis*; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D045788:Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane / Q000032:analysis*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007783:Lactones; D045788:Sesquiterpenes, Germacrane