Abstract: A method for the simultaneous determination of 11 sex hormones in antler velvet health products by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was developed. The sex hormones in antler velvet were enriched and purified by solid phase extraction and derivatized with heptafluorobutyric acid anhydride (HFBA). A DB-5 column (30 m×0.25 mm, 0.25 μm) with nonlinear gradient program was used in GC separation. The sex hormones were determined in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The method realized the complete separation of 11 sex hormones. The limits of detection of this method were from 1.0 to 5.0 μg/kg for the 11 sex hormones. The correlation coefficients were between 0.9916 and 0.9999. The recoveries were in the range of 67.4%~99.1% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 2.6%~13%. This method is accurate and reliable for the determination of the sex hormones in antler velvet health products.

Key words: antler velvet, health products, sex hormones, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS)