Abstract:

A method was developed for the simultaneous determination of congmunoside Ⅱ, congmunoside Ⅳ, congmunoside Ⅴ, congmunoside Ⅹ and congmuyenoside Ⅱ in different parts of Aralia elata by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The chromatographic separation was performed on an Alltima C₁₈ analytical column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm) using the mobile phases of acetonitrile and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid aqueous solution with gradient elution. The separated compounds were detected in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode via positive electrospray ionization (ESI⁺). The linear ranges of congmunoside Ⅱ, congmunoside Ⅳ, congmunoside Ⅴ, congmunoside Ⅹ and congmuyenoside Ⅱ were 0.17-108 μg/L, 0.53-329 μg/L, 0.77-480 μg/L, 0.77-480 μg/L and 0.82-510 μg/L, respectively. The extraction recoveries varied from 99.0% to 100.2%. The developed method is rapid, accurate and reproducible, and is successfully utilized as a quality control method for Aralia elata. The results indicate that the order of contents of these five saponins in different parts of Aralia elata is root bark >leaves >seeds >buds.

Key words: Aralia elata, high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), triterpenoid saponins