Identification and analysis of alkaloids in cortex Phellodendron amurense by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry coupled with photodiode array detection

Alkaloids from Cortex Phellodendron amurense Rupr. were identified to determine the material basis for the bioactivity of this herb. HPLC-ESI-MS with photodiode array detection coupled to XCharge C18 column was applied to analyze the alkaloids qualitatively and quantitatively. A total of 37 alkaloids were identified and tentatively characterized from the ethanol extract by online ESI-MS(n) fragmentation and UV spectral analysis. A total of ten alkaloids, including four novel natural products, were tentatively identified for the first time in P. amurense. The fragmentation pathways for certain compounds were analyzed. The contents of a pair of isomers (columbamine and jatrorrhizine) and four main alkaloids (phellodendrine, magnoflorine, berberine, and palmatine) were simultaneously quantified using the aforementioned method. Results showed that the newly discovered and known components of P. amurense were helpful in determining the material basis for the bioactivity of the herb. The application of the XCharge C18 column is a suitable and practical method for the isolation of alkaloids in plants.