Determination of 10 Caffeoylquinic Acids and 22 Flavonoids in Chrysanthemum Samples by Ultra-high Performance Liquid Chromatography-Diode Array Detection-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-tandem mass spectrometric( UPLC-DAD-MS/MS) method was developed for determination of phenolic compounds in chrysanthemum samples.The chromatographic separation was performed on an UPLC HSS T3 column by gradient elution with mobile phases of acetonitrile and water both containing 0.1% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min.The samples were extracted with aqueous methanol solution under ultrasonic condition,and the crude extracts were directly assayed without any further pretreatment.Total 10 caffeyolquinic acids( CQAs) and 22 flavonoids were positively identified in Boju,Chuju,Gongju and Hangju by comparing retention times and mass spectra of samples with standards and publications.The results showed that the amounts of phenolic compounds in four chrysanthemum samples all were agreed with the criteria of China Pharmacopoeia( 2010),but there were significant differences for the content and constitute distribution of each caffeyolquinic acid and flavonoid.Except chlorogenic acid( 3-CQA),3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid( 3,5-DCQA) and luteolin-7-O-glucoside( L-7-O-Glu),other compounds with high content,such as apigenin-7-O-6″-malonylglucoside( AP-7-O-6″-MGlu),4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid( 4,5-DCQA),1,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid( 1,5-DCQA),luteolin-7-O-6″-malonylglucoside( L-7-O-6″-MGlu) and apigenin-7-O-glucoside( AP-7-O-Glu),were also found in chrysanthemum samples.Among the four chrysanthemum samples,there were big variances for the amounts of total flavonoids,but total CQAs were found at the same level; as for total phenolic compounds in four chrysanthemum samples,Gongju showed the highest content of 66.85 mg/g,followed by Hangju,Chuju and Boju with the contents of 54.69,44.59 and 37.10 mg/g,respectively.