Analysis of aristolochic acid in nine sources of Xixin, a traditional Chinese medicine, by liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/tandem mass spectrometry

• Published in: Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis 2003-11, Vol.33 (4), p.831-837
• Main Authors: Jong, Ting-Ting, Lee, Maw-Rong, Hsiao, Shun-Sheng, Hsai, Jar-Lung, Wu, Tian-Shung, Chiang, Shu Tuan, Cai, Shao-Qing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Analytical, structural and metabolic biochemistry; Aristolochiaceae; Aristolochic acid; Aristolochic Acids - analysis; Aristolochic Acids - chemistry; Asarum species; Biological and medical sciences; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid - methods; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - analysis; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General pharmacology; LC/APCI/MS/MS; Medical sciences; Medicine, Chinese Traditional - methods; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization - methods; Xixin
• ISSN: 0731-7085; 1873-264X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0731-7085(03)00310-8

Aristolochic acid I (AA-I), which is a known nephrotoxin, is found in a commonly used Chinese medicine, Xixin, that originates from nine Asarum species ( Aristolochiaceae) found in China. A method has been developed using reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) tandem mass spectrometry under the positive ion detection mode [LC/(+)APCI/MS/MS] to determine the amount of AA-I in Xixin. The limit of detection of AA-I, estimated by monitoring with LC/MS/MS, was at the low μg/l level. By applying this method to methanol extracts of nine Asarum species, the concentrations of AA-I were found to range from 3.3 ng/mg ( Asarum sieboldii) to 3376.9 ng/mg ( Asarum crispulatum).