Comprehensive profiling and characterization of quassinoids from the seeds of Brucea javanica via segment and exposure strategy coupled with modified mass defect filter

Quassinoids, the predominant constituents in the seeds of Brucea javanica (BJ), have gained an increasing interest over the past decades since the discovery of their extensive biological activities. In the present study, a method based on the segment and exposure strategy coupled with two mass spectrometer data acquisition techniques was firstly developed and validated for comprehensive profiling of quassinoids in the seeds of BJ via high-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF/MS). The segment and exposure strategy could significantly improve the detection efficiency for trace quassinoids in the seeds of BJ. Furthermore, the five-point screening approach based on modified mass defect filter (MDF) and the visual isotopic ion technique could rapidly screen the precursor ions of interest. The fragmentation behavior of quassinoids was systematically investigated, and a total of 148 quassinoids including 86 potentially new ones were unambiguously or tentatively identified in the seeds of BJ. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the integrated strategy reported in this study has considerable potential for rapid screening of natural compounds especially for the trace ones in herbal medicines.

An integrated high resolution mass spectrometric data acquisition method for rapid screening of saponins in Panax notoginseng (Sanqi)

The aim of this study was to develop a convenient method without pretreatments for nontarget discovery of interested compounds. The segment and exposure strategy, coupled with two mass spectrometer data acquisition methods was firstly proposed for screening the saponins in extract of Panax notoginseng (Sanqi) via high-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF/MS). By gradually removing certain major or moderate interference compounds, the developed segment and exposure strategy could significantly improve the detection efficiency for trace compounds. Moreover, the newly developed five-point screening approach based on a modified mass defect filter strategy and the visual isotopic ion technique was verified to be efficient and reliable in picking out the interested precursor ions. In total, 234 ginsenosides including 67 potential new ones were characterized or tentatively identified from the extract of Sanqi. Particularly, some unusual compounds containing the branched glycosyl group or new substituted acyl groups were firstly reported. The proposed integrated strategy held a strong promise for analyses of the complex mixtures.