A pilot study of direct infusion analysis by FT-ICR MS for rapid differentiation and authentication of traditional Chinese herbal medicines

The feasibility of direct infusion analysis in a Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) for fast differentiation and authentication of traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs) was evaluated for the first time. The widely used Gardenia jasminoides Ellis and the clinical preparations Kudiezi injection were selected as model samples and analyzed by this method. With minimal or no sample pretreatment, 30 and 29 peaks which were corresponding to 43 and 40 chemical constituent respectively were rapidly detected and tentatively identified according to the accurate mass information and MS/MS data within only few minutes, including iridoids, phenolic acids, glucosides, flavonoids, nucleosides and sesquiterpene lactones. Our results demonstrated that direct infusion analysis in FT-ICR MS could provide a rapid, solvent saving and environmental friendly method for the differentiation and authentication of TCHMs, and it may be applicable to other plants.

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