Characterization of polymethoxylated flavones in Fructus aurantii by liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization combined with tandem mass spectrometry

J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2007 Apr 11;43(5):1692-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jpba.2006.12.032. Epub 2007 Jan 10.

Abstract

Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS) was operated in positive mode (PI) to characterize polymethoxylated flavonoids (PMFs) through its specific radical cations by collision-induced dissociation (CID). The fragments of [M + H - n x 15]+ produced by loss of one or more methyl group from the protonated molecule, as well as [M + H - 29]+, [M + H - 31]+, [M + H - 33]+, [M + H - 43]+, [M + H - 46]+, and [M + H - 61]+ fragment ions were detected, which were diagnostic for the polymethoxylated species, and could be adopted to form the multiple MS (MS(n)) "fingerprint" of PMFs. Based on this "fingerprint", 29 PMFs were screened out from extracts of Fructus aurantii, among which two of them were identified as sinensetin and tangeretin. It was proved that the PI was suitable for structural characterization of PMFs by APCI-MS(n).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Atmospheric Pressure
  • Chromatography, Liquid / methods*
  • Citrus / chemistry*
  • Flavones / analysis*
  • Flavones / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Tandem Mass Spectrometry / methods*

Substances

  • Flavones
  • Plant Extracts