Simultaneous characterization of two types of major active components in Kushen by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to multi-stage mass spectrometry

Abstract

In this study, a high performance liquid chromatography coupled with multi-stage mass spectrometry method was developed for simultaneous characterization of alkaloids and flavonoids, the main active components, in Kushen with diverse physical and chemical properties. Forty-two major constituents, including sixteen Kushen alkaloids and twenty-six Kushen flavonoids were tentatively identified. Additionally, useful and characteristic fragmentation pathways of two types of Kushen alkaloids, namely cytisine-type and sparteine-type, in positive ions mode were proposed and summarized, which would lay a foundation for the rapid identification of the active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine Kushen.