Quality evaluation of raw and processed Crataegi Fructus by color measurement and fingerprint analysis

Crataegi Fructus and its processed products have been used as a traditional medicine for a long time, and numerous active components are responsible for their curative effects. However, a comprehensive and fast method for the quality control of its processed products is still lacking. In this study, two analytical methods based on color measurements and fingerprint analysis are established. In the color measurements, the color values of the peel and flesh of Crataegi Fructus were evaluated spectrophotometrically. Based on the results, a color reference range was established using percentiles, and the standard color difference value was established using the median color values. Then, the color values of Crataegi Fructus and its processed products were analyzed using Bayes linear discriminant analysis and mathematical functions were built in order to predict the degree of processing. Moreover, high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprint analysis was performed on a Hibar C₁₈ column, and a high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprint pattern was obtained, from which nine peaks were identified. Chemometric methods were successfully applied to differentiate raw and processed Crataegi Fructus.     

Screening and quantifying the quality markers of DuHuo by fingerprint modeling

Abstract

With environmental health and safety becoming a concern for people, supercritical fluid chromatography has been regarded as a “green chemistry” method that gradually has peaked people’s interest. The purpose of this study was to establish a method to screen and quantify the quality markers of Duhuo (DH) through an environmentally friendly ultra-performance convergence chromatography (UPC²) method. Firstly, the fingerprint of different batches of DH samples was established by UPC². Then, the quality markers that can represent the whole information of DH was screened through chemometrics. Finally, the content of the selected quality markers was determined using the UPC² method. From the fingerprint analysis, 24 common peaks were identified. The quantitative analysis results showed that the four compounds could be used as quality markers to represent the overall information and to monitor the quality of DH. This is the first time a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) fingerprint has been established by UPC² and also the first time to screen the quality markers in DH. The method established in this study can be used for a comprehensive and overall analysis of DH or other natural medicines, and it could serve as an efficient method to contribute to the expansion of the global market for TCMs.     

Discrimination of the Traditional Chinese Medicine from Schisandra Fruits by Flash Evaporation-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry and Fingerprint Analysis

Flash evaporation-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (FE-GC/MS) with 0.3 mg sample powder in a vertical microfurnace pyrolyzer at 300 °C was applied to analyze Schisandra fruits without any tedious pretreatment. In total, 80 compounds, 74 compounds of which were identified, were observed, including low-molecular-weight compounds, essential oils (especially terpenoids), fatty acids and esters, and lignans, with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the relative percent of peak areas less than 7.79 % (n = 5). 32 compounds of terpenoids and lignans were selected as fingerprint components, since they are the main bioactive constituents in Schisandra fruits. The standard characteristic fingerprints of S. chinensis fruits and S. sphenantherae fruits were established, based on the 32 fingerprint components of 11 genuine S. chinensis fruit samples and 9 genuine S. sphenantherae fruit samples. The discrimination of samples from different growing places was achieved by principle component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. Furthermore, a similarity evaluation method was developed to evaluate the quality of each Schisandra fruit sample on the basis of the 32 fingerprint components. The results proved that the FE-GC fingerprint combined with a chemometric approach is a simple, rapid, and effective method for the origin discrimination and quality control of Schisandra fruits.

     

基于牛舌草指纹图谱的多指标成分相对定量与鉴别方法

色谱指纹图谱法在中草药产地鉴别或中成药鉴别中发挥着重要作用,然而色谱峰强度和位置易受目标物提取和分离条件的影响,发展更加准确的指纹图谱具有重要意义。该文以色谱峰中某一个常见组分（芦丁）作为内标,分析其他组分的相对含量,以相对含量作为指纹图谱信息,结合化学模式识别可以精确给出产地的相似度。以牛舌草的液相色谱指纹图谱指纹峰为例,以其中芦丁的组分峰作为基准峰,其他指纹峰以芦丁为参照,计算每个指纹峰以芦丁计的含量,建立了牛舌草的指纹图谱。将获得的相对含量指纹图谱采用系统聚类分析和主成分分析进行化学模式识别研究,实现了不同产地牛舌草的区分。该方法建立了牛舌草多指标成分的相对定量与鉴别方法,既节省资源,又具有可操作性,对于其他中药或中成药的质量控制具有一定的借鉴意义。     

Simultaneous Capillary Gas Chromatographic Determination of Cyproterone Acetate and 15β-Hydroxycyproterone Acetate in Urine

Abstract

The simultaneous capillary GC determination of underivatized antiandrogen cyproterone acetate (CPA) and its active metabolite 15β-hydroxycyproterone acetate (OH-CPA) in spiked urine was performed on a flexible VCOT quartz capillary column, coated with a non-polar CP-Sil 5 CB liquid phase. A split/splitless injector and a flame-ionization detector were used. Equilin was used as an internal standard, and resolution of all the compounds was achieved in 6 minutes. Limit of detection was 0.04 μg/μl of injected amount for both CPA and OH-CPA, the recoveries were between 91.35% and 105.56%, and the relative standard deviation varied from 3.35% to 7.38%. The method is applicable in analysis of these steroids in biological fluids.     

Analytical study of comprehensive and targeted multidimensional gas chromatography incorporating modulated cryogenic trapping

This paper reports the results of an analytical study comparing capillary gas chromatography (GC) operated in the normal mode with 2 new GC techniques, comprehensive GC (GC x GC) and targeted (or selective) multidimensional GC, which use a longitudinally modulated cryogenic system (LMCS), recently developed in our laboratory. A high-temperature application of derivatized sterols, of interest in fecal pollution monitoring, was chosen for this work. A directly connected coupled-column ensemble was used, comprising a nonpolar column and a moderately polar column. With LMCS, effluent from the first column is zone-compressed in a cryogenic trap and then pulsed to a short second column, producing narrower peaks with sharp, tall peak responses at the detector. The modulator is operated at a constant frequency, e.g., 0.25 s(-1), to produce the GC x GC result, or is moved in a predefined manner so that whole peaks are selectively trapped and subsequently pulsed through to the second column in the targeted mode. Standard solutions containing a mixture of 7 sterols and 5-alpha-cholestane internal standard were used. Detection sensitivity is increased by a factor of >25 with the use of LMCS. The estimated limit of detection was about 0.1 microg/mL when normal GC with flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and a 1.0 microL splitless injection volume were used, compared with 0.02 and 0.004 microg/mL for the LMCS operated in GC x GC and selective modes, respectively. Calibration curves for GC/FID were linear over the 0.1-2.0 microg/mL range tested. Reproducibilities for the GC x GC and normal GC modes were comparable; generally, relative standard deviations (RSD) were on the order of 3-4%, based on raw peak responses. Improved reproducibility was found for selective LMCS operation, at an RSD of around 2%; with internal standardization, better results were achieved. The coupled-column arrangement allowed complete separation of sterol peaks from overlapping impurity peaks in a number of instances with LMCS modes, and its use should improve data quality over that of normal GC operation, in which the overlapping peaks interfere with measurement of peak response in the normal mode.     

气相色谱-质谱指纹图谱在甄别真假卷烟上的应用

运用固相微萃取／气相色谱-质谱法建立卷烟挥发性和半挥发性物质的指纹图谱。通过指纹图谱相似度评价软件,对12批正品卷烟和1个假冒品卷烟的指纹图谱进行了相似度计算,结果表明：12批样品间相似度很好,而假冒品卷烟与正品卷烟的相似度很低,该方法为探讨卷烟质量稳定和甄别真假卷烟提供了一种简便易行的方法模式。     

Fast GC–MS Pesticide Multiresidue Analysis of Apples

A fast gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric (GC–MS) method is proposed for pesticide multiresidue analysis of apples. The QuEChERS method was used for sample preparation. GC–MS analysis was performed with a PTV, an autoinjector, and a quadrupole benchtop MS detector. Electron-impact ionization (70 eV) was used with two modes of selected ion monitoring. Compounds were separated under temperature-programmed conditions on a narrow-bore diphenyldimethylsiloxane column. In one chromatographic run 61 pesticides of different chemical classes, and triphenyl phosphate as internal standard, were determined in 11 min. Calibration was performed with matrix-matched standard solutions and response to the pesticides was a linear function of concentration in the range 1–500 ng mL⁻¹ (equivalent to 1–500 μg kg⁻¹ in real samples). High values of the determination coefficients (R ²; 0.9900–1.0000) were obtained for most of the pesticides. Limits of detection and quantification were determined. When the method was used for analysis of pesticide residues in real samples, five pesticides were detected at concentrations in the range 1.00–21.47 μg kg⁻¹. Repeatability of measurements, expressed as relative standard deviations of absolute peak areas, normalized relative to TPP, and of the concentrations determined, met the EU criterion of RSD ≤ 20%. Use of the internal standard moderately improved quantitative results.

     

Quality assessment of raw and baked Aucklandia lappa Decne. by color measurement and fingerprint analysis

Aucklandia lappa Decne. has been used as a traditional Chinese herb for thousands of years in treating various kinds of disorders. According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, there are two kinds of processed products, raw and baked Aucklandia lappa Decne., which have different therapeutic effect in clinical application. In this study, based on color measurement and fingerprint analysis, the method to assess the quality of these two processed products was established. In color measurement, the reference ranges of color parameters (L^*, a^*, and b^*), standard color difference values, and mathematical prediction functions of these two processed products were obtain after the color was measured by a spectrophotometer. Meanwhile, high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprints of these two processed products were established, where there were 12 peaks recognized as the common peaks in both processed products, in which two peaks were identified as costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone, and these two processed products were classified with chemometrics analysis subsequently. Furthermore, the correlation between color parameters and sample compositions was explored and the contents of costunolide and dehydrocostus lactone were determined simultaneously by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Consequently, an integral method including color measurement, high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprint with chemometrics analysis, and quantitative determination was established.     

Rapid quality checking of polyethylene water/gas-pipelines: a model based on pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and discriminant analysis

Eighty-five samples taken from polyethylene (PE) water/gas-ducts were pyrolyzed (from triplicate to 9-fold analyses) at 700 °C for 20 s in an N₂ atmosphere using a platinum coil pyrolyzer and a tube cooled in liquid nitrogen. The pyrolyzed products were identified and quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), and subjected to discriminant analysis. The samples included intact materials and sections fractured both in-field and following laboratory tests. Statistical data treatment allowed the samples to be subdivided into three groups. These groups were consistent with a pattern that fits well with sample rating after a modified stress-cracking test based on pipe resistance to increasing internal pressure. Such results can be explained through the relationship between pyrolysis (PY) fingerprint and polymer structure, which is in turn known to be related to the lifetime of the material. Compared with semi-empirical mechanical tests which are seldom used by water companies because of their lengthy duration, the PY and GC/MS approach is faster, simpler, cost effective, and provides molecular data on the original samples. The statistical models based on PY and GC/MS can be a valuable tool for water/gas companies that need to check the quality of PE pipes and predict their lifetime prior to purchase and installation, thus, helping companies set appropriate quality standards to reduce the occurrence of failures along operating pipelines.     

Fingerprint analysis of Ligusticum chuanxiong using hydrophilic interaction chromatography and reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Fingerprint analysis is considered one of the most powerful approaches to quality control in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). In this study, a binary chromatographic fingerprint analysis was developed using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) to gain more chemical information about polar compounds and weakly polar compounds. This method was used to construct a chromatographic fingerprint of Ligusticum chuanxiong. The two chromatographic methods demonstrated good precision, reproducibility, and stability, with relative standard deviations of <2% for retention time and 7% for peak area for both HILIC and RPLC separations. Data from the analysis of 14 samples by HILIC and RPLC were processed with similarity analysis, with correlation coefficients and congruence coefficients. This binary fingerprint analysis, using two chromatographic modes, is a powerful tool for characterizing the quality of samples, and can be used for the comprehensive quality control of TCMs.     

On the Evaluation of Accuracy in Quantitative Multiple Ion Monitoring Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry with Electron Impact Ionization

Abstract

An evaluation is made for some analytical aspects of quantitative multiple ion detection on a quadrupole mass spectrometer.

The relative standard deviation on the peak area ratio of reference compound to internal standard, is about 3 % (5 injections). The value of this ratio strongly depends on all instrumental parameters, as ion source potentials and even GC conditions.

Several calibration curves are constructed using both analogous and deuterated internal standards.

The accuracy of the method is revealed to be better than 5 %, using 5 standards for the calibration curves, each of them injected one time. The sensitivity of the method reaches the 10 pico-gram level, with retention of this accuracy.     

GC Analysis of Some Organochlorine Pesticides using a Brominated Internal Standard

Abstract

The brominated compound 1,1 -bis(4-chloropheny 1)2-bromoethane was specifically synthesized for use as internal standard (IS) in the GC analysis of some organochlorine pesticides. The IS was prepared by reacting commercially available 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethanol with triphenylphosphine and tetrabromomethane.

Organochlorine pesticides were tested together with this IS for the linearity of the analytical method in the pg range of injected pesticides (HCB, α- and γ-HCH, heptachlor, aldrin, op'-and pp'-DDT and its metabolites: op'-and pp'-DDE, op'- and pp'-DDD), using MS detection in the negative ion chemical ionization mode (NICI). GC-ECD was also used to test the IS response and linearity of the method for some of the above pesticides in the pg range of injected analytes.

The synthesized IS was added and analyzed in vegetable samples (spruce needle and branch) to prove the applicability of this compound in a GC-NICI-MS analytical method for organochlorine pesticides in such samples.     

Study on 1HNMR Fingerprint Spectra of Tea by Common and Variation Peak Ratio Dual-Index Sequence Analysis Method

Abstract

This paper describes the application of the common and variation peak ratio dual-index sequence analysis methods to evaluate the quality of several tea samples obtained from different species and different areas based on ¹HNMR fingerprint spectra (FPS). The method is able to determine the most similar sample groups and identify accurately the varieties and qualities of Blank tea, Longjing tea, and other green tea samples. Longjing tea is a famous brand of local green tea and has its own distinct characteristics. There were obvious differences between Uji tea from Japanese and Chinese green tea. The results showed that the dual index sequent analytical method provides a good approach to accurately describe the resemblance and differences among tea samples. It also can reflect tea's integrity and individual difference, and is an effective method to evaluate the quality of tea samples.     

Chromatographic Fingerprint Analysis of Semen Ziziphi spinosae by HPLC-DAD Method

Abstract

Reliable, reproducible and valid fingerprint analysis methods using high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) for characteristic bioactive flavonoids and saponins of Semen Ziziphi spinosae (SZS) were developed and validated. HPLC separation of the chemical constituents of SZS was performed on an YMC-PACK ODS-A RP-18 column and detected at 270 and 204 nm for flavonoids and saponins, respectively. A mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% phosphoric acid aqueous solution was used with linear gradient elution. Using spinosin and jujuboside B as the reference markers of flavonoids and saponins respectively, 9 common fingerprint peaks of flavonoids and 10 common fingerprint peaks of saponins were specified based on the fingerprint analysis of 10 batches of SZS from different regions in China. The fingerprint analysis methods developed are reliable, reproducible and valid, and might be used as a more convenient approach for the species identification and quality monitoring and assessment of SZS.     

固相微萃取-气相色谱/质谱法建立烟用香精指纹图谱

采用固相微萃取法(SPME)对6批次的烟用HMT-4香精成分进行提取,GC/MS对其进行分析,建立了该香精的GC/MS指纹图谱的研究方法。通过参兑实验考察了色谱指纹图谱用于香精质量控制的可行性。结果表明:SPME法具有操作简便、快速、节能、萃取效率高等特点,适合于烟用香精成分的提取。6批次的HMT-4香精的指纹图谱稳定性好,相似度高,具有很强的特征性和唯一性。通过参兑实验发现色谱指纹图谱能全面、综合、准确地反映烟用香精的质量情况,可以成为烟用香精质量控制的有效手段。     

Comparison of the chromatographic fingerprint,multicomponent quantitation and antioxidant activity of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. between sweating and nonsweating

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. is a traditional Chinese medicine applied in the treatment of various diseases in clinical practice. In the course of its processing, S. miltiorrhiza Bge. is usually processed by sweating. This study employed 10‐component contents determination coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fingerprint and antioxidant activity to investigate the effect of sweating on S. miltiorrhiza Bge. so as to evaluate the quality of S. miltiorrhiza Bge. The HPLC method was performed using C₁₈ and 0.05% phosphoric acid aqueous solution–acetonitrile with a gradient elution system. It was validated for linearity, precision, repeatability, stability and recovery. Similarity analysis, principal components analysis and antioxidant activity assays were used to compare sweated S. miltiorrhiza Bge. (SSM) and nonsweated S. miltiorrhiza Bge. (NSSM). SSM and NSSM showed good similarities in HPLC fingerprint (>0.9), but principal components analysis could classify the HPLC fingerprint and 10‐component quantitation analysis. Meanwhile, the antioxidant activity of SSM was significantly higher than that of NSSM (p < 0.01). The results of this study indicated that sweating could alter the content of chemical constituents in S. miltiorrhiza Bge., and could also improve its antioxidant activity. In addition, the method not only affords a viable strategy for comparing SSM and NSSM and assessing the quality of S. miltiorrhiza Bge., but also provides a reference for other herbal medicine that suffers from sweating.     

用热解吸处理样品-气相色谱与质谱联用法建立烟用香精指纹图谱及其在烟用香精质量控制中的应用

采用热解吸-气相色谱-质谱法,建立了香精的指纹图谱,利用夹角余弦和欧式距离法计算相似度。结果表明:利用热脱附技术能够简化样品预处理过程,保证试验的重复性,为建立指纹图谱提供可靠的数据,并避免样品预处理过程中有效成分的损失以及高沸点物质对色谱仪器的污染。夹角余弦法和欧氏距离法计算简单,两者结合能够全面考察香精的质量。     

一种基于小波变换的近红外化学指纹图谱分析方法

提出了一种快速无损的化学指纹图谱分析新方法. 根据小波变换多分辨分析的特点, 对近红外(NIR)光谱进行小波分解, 从中提取被测样品的化学特征信息, 并作数字信息可视化处理, 构建形成可直观识别样品模式特征的NIR指纹图谱. 将该方法用于中药材丹参的质量检测, 检测结果与色谱指纹图谱检测结果相符, 能快速有效地识别丹参质量模式间的差异, 有望发展成为一种快速分析检测天然产物质量的方法.     

Analysis and Fate of Dibenzothiophene Derivatives in the Marine Environment

Abstract

Dibenzothiophene (DBT) and related methylated derivatives are known to be among the most persistent and probably the most toxic PAH in the marine environment. Their analysis and their fate by photo-oxidation and biodegradation were studied.

The methylated DBT isomers, provided that they are resolved by high resolution GC, were used as organic markers of oil pollution in oysters. The determination of the relative distribution of the four monomethyl DBT allowed to characterize the source of pollution in an oyster-area in the North Brittany (France).

The fate of methylated DBT compounds was studied in a controlled sea-water enclosure where Arabian light oil was spilled. Analysis of the weathered oil showed that: (i) oil was degraded by photo-oxidation at a rate of 0.004% day; (ii) the half-lives of photolysis of methylated DBT was dependent upon the number of methyl groups on the aromatic nucleus: 8 days for DBT, 20 days for methyl-1 DBT and more than 2 years for trimethylated DBT. Compounds solubilized in the water column were identified as methyl-substituted dibenzothiophene sulfoxides and sulfones by HPLC with synchrofluorescence and GC-flame photometric detection.

The metabolic pathway of DBT was established in vitro. Rat microsomes transformed this substrate to DBT-5-oxide and subsequently to DBT-5-dioxide. Such an enzymatic S-oxidation was shown to be principally Cytochrome-P-450 dependent. It is suggested that the mixed-function oxidase (MFO) activity of marine species could be evaluated by this S-oxidation test in addition to the usual aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase.