Determination of Saikosaponin Derivatives in <i>Radix </i><i>bupleuri</i> and in Pharmaceuticals of the Chinese Multiherb Remedy Xiaochaihu-tang Using Liquid Chromatographic Tandem Mass Spectrometry
作者:Yuanwu Bao、Chuan Li、Hongwu Shen、Fajun Nan
DOI:10.1021/ac0499423
日期:2004.7.1
Saikosaponins are bioactive oleanane saponins derived from the Chinese medicinal herb Radix bupleuri (“chaihu” in Chinese). An LC−MS/MS-based method has been developed for characterization and quantification of 15 saikosaponin derivatives (saikosaponin a, saikosaponin b1, saikosaponin g, saikogenin A, saikogenin H, saikosaponin c, saikosaponin h, saikosaponin i, prosaikogenin C2, prosaikogenin B2, saikogenin C, saikogenin B, saikosaponin d, saikosaponin b2, and saikogenin D) in one chromatographic run. Optimization of the ionization process was performed with electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization techniques in both positive and negative ion modes. Negative ion ESI was adopted for generation of the precursor deprotonated molecules to achieve the best ionization sensitivity for the analytes. In addition, the most abundant fragment ion was chosen for each analyte to give the best CID sensitivity. Because some of the saponin derivatives are isomeric, complete resolution for the whole analytes was achieved both chromatographically and mass spectroscopically. Furthermore, optimal internal standard was successfully discovered for determination of the analytes by making use of a combinatorial chemistry approach. Good linearity over the range ∼1.65 or 4.98 to 1200 ng/mL for the analytes was observed. The intraday accuracy and precision at nominal low, intermediate, and high concentration varied between 0.8 and 11.8% and between 80 and 116%, respectively, whereas those for interday assay were between 1.1 and 15.5% and between 86 and 119%, respectively. The lower limits of quantitation for the test compounds were ∼16.5 to 49.4 pg on-column. The new method offered higher sensitivity and greater specificity than previously reported LC methods. After the validation, the applicability of the method for determination of these chemicals present in a variety of crude chaihu roots and in different brands of the Chinese multiherb remedy Xiaochaihu-tang (or Shosaiko-to) extract granules has been demonstrated. The sensitivity and specificity of the technique will be the basis of a method for the accurate quantification of the saikosaponin derivatives in biomatrixes.
柴胡皂苷是从中药材柴胡中提取的具有生物活性的齐墩果烷皂苷。开发了一种基于 LC−MS/MS 的方法,用于 15 种柴胡皂苷衍生物(柴胡皂苷 a、柴胡皂苷 b1、柴胡皂苷 g、柴胡皂苷元 A、柴胡皂苷元 H、柴胡皂苷 c、柴胡皂苷 h、柴胡皂苷 i、原柴胡皂苷元 C2、原柴胡皂苷元 B2)的表征和定量、柴胡皂苷元 C、柴胡皂苷元 B、柴胡皂苷元 d、柴胡皂苷元 b2 和柴胡皂苷元 D)在一次色谱运行中。使用电喷雾和大气压化学电离技术在正离子和负离子模式下对电离过程进行优化。采用负离子 ESI 生成前体去质子化分子,以实现分析物的最佳电离灵敏度。此外,为每种分析物选择最丰富的碎片离子,以提供最佳的 CID 灵敏度。由于一些皂苷衍生物是异构体,因此可以通过色谱和质谱实现整个分析物的完全分离。此外,通过利用组合化学方法成功地发现了用于测定分析物的最佳内标。分析物在 ~1.65 或 4.98 至 1200 ng/mL 范围内观察到良好的线性。标称低、中、高浓度的日内准确度和精密度分别在 0.8% 至 11.8% 和 80% 至 116% 之间变化,而日间测定的准确度和精密度分别在 1.1% 至 15.5% 和 86% 至 119% 之间。测试化合物的柱上定量下限为 ∼16.5 至 49.4 pg。与之前报道的 LC 方法相比,新方法具有更高的灵敏度和更高的特异性。经过验证,该方法适用于测定各种粗柴胡根和不同品牌的中草药小柴胡汤(或正斋子汤)提取颗粒中存在的这些化学物质。该技术的灵敏度和特异性将成为准确定量生物基质中柴胡皂苷衍生物的方法的基础。