title: Analysis of phenolic and triterpenoid compounds in licorice and rat plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography diode-array detection, time-of-flight mass spectrometry and quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry.
abstract: High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC/DAD), time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC/TOFMS) and quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry (HPLC/QITMS) were used for separation and identification of several compounds in licorice and rat plasma after oral administration of the herbal extract. Three phenolic compounds and one triterpenoid in licorice extract were unambiguously identified by comparing with the standard compounds. A formula database of known compounds in licorice was established, against which the other 42 compounds were identified effectively based on the accurate extract masses and formulae acquired by HPLC/TOFMS. In order to differentiate the isomers, tandem mass spectrometry was also used. The deduced fragmentation behaviors in QITMS were used to distinguish seven groups of isomers in licorice. By means of the three detectors, 46 compounds in licorice were identified. After oral administration of the extract, 25 compounds in rat plasma were detected and identified by comparing and contrasting the compounds measured in licorice with those in the plasma samples by HPLC/TOFMS. It is concluded that a rapid and effective method based on three analytical techniques was established, which is useful for identification of multiple compounds in licorice in vitro and in vivo. The result should be very useful for the quality control and curative mechanism study of licorice.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China.
authors.forename: Guangguo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ziyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Guoqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yifeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D010636:Phenols; D014315:Triterpenes