A detection method based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet diode-array detection and electrospray ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-UV-ESI-MS/MS) was developed to investigate the total alkaloids prepared from the ascidian Lissoclinum cf. badium. The aromatic alkaloids possessing polysulfide structures are the major bioactive constituents isolated from ascidians of the genera Lissoclinum, Eudistoma, and Polycitor. These compounds presented various important biological activities. The ESI-MS fragmentation behavior of this kind of alkaloids was studied, and the fragmentation was characterized by elimination of the NH(CH(3))(2) moiety. The use of reversed-phase HPLC/UV-ESI-MS allowed the online separation and detection of 25 aromatic alkaloids. This approach provided data that can be used for detection of biologically active aromatic alkaloids from marine organisms.
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