Compounds Identification in Semen Cuscutae by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLCs) Coupled to Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

• Main Authors: Ying Zhang, Hui Xiong, Xinfang Xu, Xue Xue, Mengnan Liu, Shuya Xu, Huan Liu, Yan Gao, Hui Zhang, Xiangri Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-05-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: Semen Cuscutae; ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry; chlorogenic acids; flavonoids
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/5/1199

Semen Cuscutae is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine and contains a series of compounds such as flavonoids, chlorogenic acids and lignans. In this study, we identified different kinds of compositions by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS). A total of 45 compounds were observed, including 20 chlorogenic acids, 23 flavonoids and 2 lignans. 23 of them are reported for the first time including 6-O-caffeoyl-β-glucose, 3-O-(4′-O-Caffeoylglucosyl) quinic acid, etc. Their structures were established by retention behavior, extensive analyses of their MS spectra and further determined by comparison of their MS data with those reported in the literature. As chlorogenic acids and flavonoids are phenolic compounds that are predominant in Semen Cuscutae, in conclusion, phenolic compounds are the major constituents of Semen Cuscutae.