Abstract
In this study, we developed a method using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS to simultaneously determine the contents offorsythoside B, loganin, macranthoidin B, dipsacoside B, rutin, arctiin, phillyrin, pinoresinol-b-D-glucoside,3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, isoquercitrin, hyperoside, astragalin, luteoloside,genistin, arctigenin, neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, quercetin, luteolin,genistein, quinic acid, caffeic acid, isoforsythoside and forsythoside A inFlos Lonicerae japonicae–Fructus Forsythiaeherb couple with a run time of only 8 min. The separation was performed on anAcquity UPLC HSS T3 C18column (100 mm2.1 mm, 1.8mm) at aflow rate of 0.4 mL min1, andacetonitrile/methanol (4 : 1, v/v)–0.4% formic acid was used as the mobile phase. Variations in theintra- and inter-day precision of all analytes were below 5.00%; the matrix effect of all the analytes wasfound to be within the acceptable range; and the accuracy was evaluated by a recovery test within therange of 95.63–103.10%. The method successfully quantified the twenty-six compounds in theFlosLonicerae japonicae–Fructus Forsythiaeherb couple. Moreover, it transpired through hierarchical clusteranalysis and principal component analysis that the consistency of theFlos Lonicerae japonicae–FructusForsythiaeherb couple as the two important herbs inFlos Lonicerae japonicae–Fructus Forsythiaeherbcouple preparations (Shuang-Huang-Lian oral liquid, Yin-Qiao-Jie-Du tablet and Fufang Qin-Lan oralliquid), except that in Qin-Re-Jie-Du oral liquid was relatively good. The results showed that the methodwas accurate, sensitive and reliable.
Isoforsythoside, caffeic acid, quinic acid,genistein, luteolin, quercetin, arctigenin, genistin,astragalin,hyperoside,pinoresinol-b-D glucoside,arctiin,rutin,iso-quercitrin, dipsacoside B, macranthoidin B and loganin (98% pure) were purchased from Chengdu Herbpurify Co., Ltd.(Sichuan, China).