The principal toxic glycosidic steroids in Cerbera manghas L. seeds: Identification of cerberin, neriifolin, tanghinin and deacetyltanghinin by UHPLC–HRMS/MS, quantification by UHPLC–PDA-MS

• We have determined the concentration of the principal cardenolides present in a methanolic extract of the seeds of the sea mango tree.
• This is the first reported method for measuring tanghinin and deacetyltanghinin in Cerbera manghas seeds.
• Deacetyltanghinin was the principal cardenolide in the seeds of both dried and fresh fruit.

The toxicity of the sea mango (Cerbera manghas L.) is well known. The plant is ranked as one of the deadliest of the southern Asian coastline. Cardenolidic heterosides are responsible for the cardiotoxicity of trees of the Cerbera genus. We have identified and determined the concentration of the principal glycosidic steroids present in the seeds of sea mangos (Thailand). Drug screening of an extract of the seeds was carried out using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry (UHPLC–PDA-MS) with quantification at 219 nm. Identification was confirmed by UHPLC–HRMS. Deacetyltanghinin (m/z 549.3055 ± 2 ppm), neriifolin (m/z 535.3259 ± 2 ppm), tanghinin (m/z 591.3169 ± 2 ppm) and cerberin (577.3375 ± 2 ppm) were the most abundant glycosidic steroids present in the sea mango seeds. A seed of the dried ripe fruit had concentrations of 1209.1, 804.2, 621.4 and 285.9 μg/g, respectively. A seed of the fresh unripe fruit had concentrations of 49.4, 47.0, 3.5 and 2.3 μg/g.