Jiatao Feng

Systematic screening and characterization of tertiary and quaternary alkaloids from corydalis yanhusuo W.T. Wang using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) is an effective technique for analysis of complex samples with offering rapid, efficient separation in combination with accurate mass measurement and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). This paper exploits this technique to identify the alkaloids in corydalis yanhusuo, an important antalgic Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The mass spectral fragmentation behavior of one tertiary alkaloid and two quaternary alkaloids was studied in detail. Low-abundance product ions of tertiary and quaternary alkaloids were investigated and compared between each other. Sixteen alkaloids were screened out by using a systematic screening method developed in our laboratory; structures of eight therein were identified by characteristic UV absorption spectrum and positive ion mode of Q-TOF-MS/MS; and two of them were discovered for the first time in corydalis yanhusuo to our knowledge. This research demonstrates the potential of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS in structural characterization and identification of components in traditional Chinese herbal medicines.

Fingerprint analysis of Ligusticum chuanxiong using hydrophilic interaction chromatography and reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Fingerprint analysis is considered one of the most powerful approaches to quality control in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). In this study, a binary chromatographic fingerprint analysis was developed using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) to gain more chemical information about polar compounds and weakly polar compounds. This method was used to construct a chromatographic fingerprint of Ligusticum chuanxiong. The two chromatographic methods demonstrated good precision, reproducibility, and stability, with relative standard deviations of <2% for retention time and 7% for peak area for both HILIC and RPLC separations. Data from the analysis of 14 samples by HILIC and RPLC were processed with similarity analysis, with correlation coefficients and congruence coefficients. This binary fingerprint analysis, using two chromatographic modes, is a powerful tool for characterizing the quality of samples, and can be used for the comprehensive quality control of TCMs.

Purification of active bufadienolides from toad skin by preparative reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with hydrophilic interaction chromatography.

An isolation method by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with hydrophilic interaction chromatography was successfully used to isolate and purify active bufadienolides from Bufo bufo gargarizans Cantor toad skin. In the first step, crude samples were run on an XTerra Prep C18 column. After screening for activity, two fractions were chosen for further purification. A Click beta-Cyclodextrin (Click-CD) column made in our laboratory was used for the second step. Seven compounds, including four stereoisomers, were obtained at high purity. The orthogonal isolation method described here was a powerful tool for isolating bufadienolides, including stereoisomers, from a natural product. This integrated method may be useful for the discovery of novel active compounds from natural products.

Purification of saponins from leaves of Panax notoginseng using preparative two-dimensional reversed-phase liquid chromatography/hydrophilic interaction chromatography

AbstractSaponins are widely distributed in the plant kingdom and have been shown to be active components of many medicinal herbs. In this study, a two-dimensional purification method based on reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography was successfully applied to purify saponins from leaves of Panax notoginseng. Nine saponin reference standards were used to test the separation modes and columns. The standards could not be resolved using C18 columns owing to their limited polar selectivity. However, they were completely separated on a XAmide column in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mode, including two pairs of standards that were coeluted on a C18 column. The elution order of the standards on the two columns was sufficiently different, with a correlation coefficient between retention times on the C18 and XAmide columns of 0.0126, indicating good column orthogonality. Therefore, the first-dimension preparation was performed on a C18 column, followed by a XAmide column that was used to separate the fractions in the second dimension. Fifty-four fractions were prepared in the first dimension, with 25 fractions rich in saponins. Eight saponins, including two pairs of isomeric saponins and one new saponin, were isolated and identified from three representative fractions. This procedure was shown to be an effective approach for the preparative isolation and purification of saponins from leaves of P. notoginseng. Moreover, this method could possibly be employed in the purification of low-content and novel active saponins from natural products. FigureSeparation of saponins using 2-D RPLC/HILIC

Separation and identification of flavonoids from complex samples using off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

In this study, a LC-based identification strategy was proposed and off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography was developed for the separation and identification of flavonoids from complex samples. The highly orthogonal separation system was composed of a CD column, an OEG column and an XTerra C(18) column. The CD column was employed for the first dimensional separation and the OEG column and XTerra C(18) column were used for the second dimensional separation in parallel. A mixture of six traditional Chinese medicines was used as a complex sample in testing this method. Unknown peaks were identified by matching their retention times and accurate mass molecular weights with those of references. The identification efficacy of parallel unidimensional liquid chromatography and off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography was compared, and the latter was demonstrated to be more efficient for the identification of target compounds-especially co-eluted compounds or minor compounds from complex samples.

Selective separation of flavonoid glycosides in Dalbergia odorifera by matrix solid-phase dispersion using titania

Dalbergia odorifera contains high concentrations of flavonoid aglycones and trace flavonoid glycosides. In this study, trace flavonoid glycosides were separated from D. odorifera by titania with matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD). Before the MSPD experiment, four standards, including two isoflavone glycosides (genistin and formononetin-8-C-apiosyl (1-6)-glucoside) and their aglycones (genistein and formononetin), were used to compare their retention on a titania column. The effect of acetonitrile concentration and pH on their retention was investigated and a conclusion was drawn that high acetonitrile concentration and pH lead to the greatest difference in the retention of flavonoid as glycosides and aglycones. Besides hydrophilic interaction and ligand-exchange interaction may exist between sugar moiety of flavonoid glycoside and titania, so that flavonoid glycosides have stronger retention than that of aglycones. Based on the chromatographic rule of flavonoid as glycosides and aglycones on the titania column, the MSPD method was optimized to elute high concentration flavonoid aglycones first with 90% acetonitrile and 10% water containing 100 mM ammonium acetate buffer, and then to elute trace flavonoid glycosides with 20% acetonitrile and 80% water containing 1% trifluoroacetate (TFA). Isolated flavonoid glycosides were further analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS, and their fragmentation in MS(2) showed they are C-glycosyl flavonoids.

Orthogonal separation on one beta-cyclodextrin column by switching reversed-phase liquid chromatography and hydrophilic interaction chromatography.

A dual retention combined with reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) has been observed on beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) bonded stationary phase. A typical U-shaped retention curve was achieved owing to dual retention mechanism. Based on this observation, a beta-CD column can be operated under reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) and hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) modes. Two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) analysis can be realized on just a beta-CD column by switching these two different separation modes. In this study, off-line 2D-LC analysis for a natural product was carried out to prove the orthogonal separation between RP-LC and HILIC modes on a Click beta-CD column. Herba Hedyotis Diffusae, the whole grass of Hedyotis Diffusae wild was extracted with water, pretreated with macroporous resin and then first separated at RP-LC mode on the Click beta-CD column to obtain successive fractions, which were then reanalyzed at HILIC mode on the same Click beta-CD column. The result proved that both separation modes on the Click beta-CD column have good retention and peak shape, and these two separation modes have good orthogonality. 2D-LC analysis revealed abundant information in the natural product. Especially numerous minor components were enriched and separated. The mobile phase used in RP-LC and HILIC modes can be same and the switch between these two separation modes is easily realized by changing the ratio of the acetonitrile and water. Hence the mobile phase in this 2D-LC system is completely compatible. This advantage makes this combination is an appropriate 2D-LC method for the solutes having retention at both separation modes.

Structure elucidation and NMR assignments for curcuminoids from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa

Thirteen curcuminoids (1–13) were isolated from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa. Among them, 1,5‐dihydroxy‐1,7‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐4,6‐heptadiene‐3‐one (1), 1,5‐dihydroxy‐1‐(4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxyphenyl)‐7‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐4,6‐heptadiene‐3‐one (2), 1,5‐dihydroxy‐1‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐(4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxyphenyl)‐4,6‐heptadiene‐3‐one (3), and 3‐hydroxy‐1,7‐bis‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐6‐heptene‐1,5‐dione (4) are new compounds, and 1‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐7‐(3, 4‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐1, 6‐heptadiene‐3, 5‐dione (5) is isolated from natural sources for the first time. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, especially 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The 13C NMR data and complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments of some known compounds are reported for the first time. In addition, the errors of 1H and 13C assignments reported in the literature were corrected. Copyright

Purification of compounds from Lignum Dalbergia Odorifera using two-dimensional preparative chromatography with Click oligo (ethylene glycol) and C18 column

Purification of compounds from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) is an important task for understanding the chemical composition of TCMs. However, it is difficult to obtain compounds with high enough purity for identification by NMR due to the complexity of TCMs in chemical composition. In this study, a two-dimensional purification method based on a Click oligo (ethylene glycol) column and a C18 column was developed to realize an orthogonal separation in preparative level for purifying compounds efficiently. The first dimensional preparation was performed on a Click oligo (ethylene glycol) column to simplify the sample into the fractions with good separation repeatability. On the first dimension, 7.2 g sample was separated into 11 fractions with a recovery of 86% within 6 h. A C18 column was taken as the second dimension to realize the high-performance separation and rapid preparation from the fractions collected from the first dimension. Eight compounds in fraction 6 and 2 compounds in fraction 8 were isolated and identified after optimizing the separation and collection parameters. This method is a high-efficient and orthogonal preparation method to improve the separation of a complex sample and increase the purity of the compounds, which benefits from the application of novel materials in the preparation and purification.

Two-dimensional RPLC-RPLC system with different pH in two dimensions for separation of alkaloids from Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang.

An effective method utilizing the same RP chromatographic column with different pH in first and second LC dimensions has been developed for separation of the basic compounds from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). In this work, the alkaloids in Corydalis yanhusuo which is an important TCM were selected as a model to develop the method. The additives and pH values of the mobile phase were optimized in this work. To investigate the feasibility of this method, off-line mode separation was performed in the experiments. According to the UV-absorption intensity, there were eight fractions collected in acidic conditions. All the fractions were analyzed in basic conditions. The results showed that the chromatographic selectivities were significantly different in the separations performed with acidic and alkaline elution systems. Complementary separation was achieved in this work. It is demonstrated that this method would be an effective tool for alkaloids research. Based on the different pH of the mobile phase in this method, it could also be suitable to analyze compounds which were sensible to the pH of the solution.