Iron (III)-mediated degradation of α-asarone and characterization of its major degradation products by UPLC-MS/MS and NMR

α-Asarone, the main bioactive phytochemicals of Acorus species, is widely used in the treatment of respiratory disorders. The solution stability study of α-asarone was investigated in the presence of various metal ions. α-Asarone was found to be unstable in the presence of the metal ions Fe³⁺, Cu²⁺ and Al³⁺, in which the induction of Fe³⁺ was highly prone to the degradation of α-asarone. Thus, an iron (III)-mediated forced degradation study of α-asarone was carried out. One oxidative and four dimeric products were formed after the degradation of α-asarone. The complete mass fragmentation patterns for α-asarone and its degradation products (DPs) were established by UPLC-MS/MS in the positive ionization mode, and their structural confirmation was accomplished with 1H and 13C NMR. Then, the mechanistic pathways for the formation of all DPs were postulated. Finally, the oxidation degradation behavior and mechanism of α-asarone in the presence of oxidative stressors viz., hydrogen peroxide and azobisisobutyronitrile were explored.