Rapid in situ identification of bioactive compounds in plants by in vivo nanospray high-resolution mass spectrometry.
A method for the rapid in situ identification of bioactive compounds in fresh plants has been developed using in vivo nanospray coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS). Using a homemade in vivo nanospray ion source, the plant liquid was drawn out from a target region and ionized in situ. The ionized bioactive compounds were then identified using Q-Orbitrap HR-MS. The accurate mass measurements of these bioactive compounds were performed by full-scan or selected ion monitoring (SIM), and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was used in the structural elucidation. Without sample pretreatment, 12 bioactive compounds in 7 different plant species were identified, namely, isoalliin in onion; butylphthalide in celery; N-methylpelletierine, pelletierine, and pseudopelletierine in pomegranate; chlorogenic acid in crabapple; solamargine, solasonine, and solasodine in nightshade; aloin and aloe-emodin in aloe; and menthone in mint. This work demonstrates that in vivo nanospray HR-MS is a good method for rapid in situ identification of bioactive compounds in plants.
†State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, ‡Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, and #Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wu Han 40074, China.
Qing
Q
Chang
†State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, ‡Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, and #Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wu Han 40074, China.
Yue'e
Y
Peng
†State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, ‡Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, and #Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wu Han 40074, China.
Conghui
C
Dan
†State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, ‡Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, and #Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wu Han 40074, China.
Qin
Q
Shuai
†State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, ‡Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, and #Faculty of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wu Han 40074, China.
Shenghong
S
Hu
D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*
D010936:Plant Extracts
bioactive compounds; fresh plants; high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS); in situ; in vivo nanospray