Analytical Sciences

Analysis of Saponins from Leaves of Aralia elata by Liquid Chromatography and Multi-stage Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Mingquan GUO,* Lei ZHANG,** and Zhiqiang LIU*

*Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
**College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China

Four saponins were isolated from the leaves of Aralia elata, and established using NMR and other spectroscopic methods, as well as data reported in the literature. Three Aralia saponins from the leaves of Aralia elata sharing the same structures as those isolated from the root bark suggested that the leaves would be a good substitute for the root bark of Aralia elata. These four Aralia saponins were then extensively investigated using complementarily positive and negative electrospray ionization multistage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSⁿ). Two isomers of saponins with different sugar linkages were then successfully differentiated by positive ESI-MSⁿ and verified with different retention times and the collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectra by LC-MS. A simple and effective LC-MS method was thus developed for the rapid identification and screening of these saponins in plant extracts from leaves of Aralia elata.

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