Alkaloid profiling of the Chinese herbal medicine Fuzi by combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry
article
A matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) method was developed for the high throughput and robust qualitative profiling of alkaloids in Fuzi-the processed lateral roots of the Chinese herbal medicine Aconitum carmichaeli Debx (A. carmichaeli). After optimization, powdered roots - without any further sample preparation - could be used to screen for the presence of Aconitum alkaloids. Furthermore, the semi-quantitative potential of MALDI-MS was confirmed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) as reference. In total over sixty alkaloids were detected by LC-MS and fifteen of them were tentatively identified. Both MALDI-MS and LC-MS analysis revealed significant variation in alkaloid content in different (commercial) samples. LC-MS analysis of three toxic alkaloids in 14 batches of Fuzi resulted in a variation of their concentrations expressed as RSDs of 138%, 99% and 221% for aconitine, hypaconitine and mesaconitine, respectively. The variation in concentrations (expressed as RSD) of about the ninety constituents detected were classified as follows: 13 constituents showed an RSD of 77-100%, 46 with an RSD of 100-150%, 21 with an RSD of 150-200% and 9 constituents with an RSD in concentration of 200-235%. These results demonstrate a strong difference in chemical composition of the various Fuzi and illustrate the necessity of adequate QA/QC procedures for both safety and efficiency of herbal medicine. The described analytical procedures for alkaloid profiling could play a role in these procedures. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Topics
Analytical researchBiomedical researchAconitum carmichaeli DebxAlkaloid profilingHerbal medicineLC-MSMALDI-MSAconitum carmichaeli DebxAlkaloid profilingHerbal medicineLC-MSMALDI-MSBody fluidsChromatographic analysisChromatographyDesorptionIonizationIonization of liquidsLiquid chromatographyMass spectrometersMass spectrometryMedicineSemiconductor switchesSpectrometersSpectrometrySpectrum analysisHigh performance liquid chromatographyAconitum extractAconitineAconitumAlkaloidsChromatography, LiquidDrugs, Chinese HerbalLinear ModelsMass SpectrometryPlant RootsQuality ControlReproducibility of ResultsSensitivity and SpecificityAconitumAconitum carmichaeli
TNO Identifier
241440
ISSN
00219673
Source
Journal of Chromatography A, 1216(11), pp. 2169-2178.
Pages
2169-2178
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