The Chemical Characterization of Eleutherococcus senticosus and Ci-wu-jia Tea using UHPLC-UV-QTOF/MS.

Yan-Hong Wang,Mei Wang,Chunmei Zhai,Giorgis Isaac,Yonghai Meng,Kerri M Smith,Jimmy Yuk,Ikhlas A Khan,Bharathi Avula

doi:10.3390/ijms20030475

Abstract

Eleutherococcus senticosus Maxim. belongs to the Araliaceae family. Phytochemical studies reveal that E. senticosus leaves contain triterpene glycosides along with organic acid derivatives and flavonoid compounds. It is believed that E. senticosus is similar to ginseng because they come from same family and both contain triterpene saponins. E. senticosus leaves have been developed as a functional beverage called ci-wu-jia tea in recent years. Triterpene glycosides are difficult to identify by ultraviolet (UV) detection and contents of these compounds are low in E. senticosus leaves. In this study, a sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatographic (UHPLC) method combining UV and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was developed to characterize the triterpene glycosides from E. senticosus leaves and related commercial products. Fragmentation patterns of three sub-groups of triterpene glycosides in E. senticosus leaves were investigated. Additionally, fragmentation pathways and UV characteristics of organic acid derivatives and flavonoids were also characterized. A compound screening library, including 241 compounds reported in the literature, was created and used to confirm the compounds in the samples. In this study, a total of 24 samples, including 13 plant samples of E. senticosus and 11 ci-wu-jia tea products, were analyzed. Out of the 11 commercial products, three products were discovered to contain green tea (Camellia sinensis) that was considered to be an adulterant since it was not an ingredient on the labels. The developed UHPLC-UV-MS/MS analytical method combined with the UNIFI processing method can simultaneously characterize organic acid derivatives, flavonoids, and triterpene saponins from E. senticosus. It provides a simple and sensitive way to perform quality control of E. senticosus and related ci-wu-jia tea products.

Highlights

Phytochemical studies revealed that caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, triterpene glycosides, and flavonoids were the major secondary metabolites in leaves of E. senticosus [3,5]
An ultra-high performance liquid chromatographic (UHPLC)-UV-MS/MS method was developed for the characterization of different classes of compounds, including organic acid derivatives, flavonoids, and triterpene glycosides, in E. senticosus leaves and related tea products
According to the characteristic UV spectra, accurate mass, and MS/MS fragmentation mechanisms, 13 of the organic acid derivatives, seven of the flavonoids, and 30 of the triterpene glycosides were identified from E. senticosus leaves

Summary

Introduction

Acanthopanax senticosus Harms) is a species of the Araliaceae family. It usually grows in forests or thickets, where it is elevated from hundreds to above 2000 m in altitude in China. E. senticosus is in the same family as Panax ginseng [3] and the leaves have been reported for glycosidase inhibition as well as having antibacterial properties [4]. For this reason, E. senticosus leaves have been developed as a functional beverage called ci-wu-jia tea in China and Siberian ginseng tea in the United States and Europe. Phytochemical studies revealed that caffeoylquinic acid derivatives, triterpene glycosides, and flavonoids were the major secondary metabolites in leaves of E. senticosus [3,5]

Methods

Results

Conclusion