LC-DAD and LC–MS–MS Analysis of Piperidine Alkaloids of Lobelia inflata L. (In Vitro and In Vivo)

An LC-DAD method was developed for determination of lobeline from in vitro and in vivo cultures of Lobelia inflata. Samples were extracted with 0.1 N HCl–acetonitrile (1:1, v/v), and purified by solid-phase extraction. Optimized conditions resulted in high recovery. LC separations were performed on an Eurosphere C8 reversed-phase column using 30:70 (v/v) acetonitrile–0.1% trifluoroacetic acid as a mobile phase. Quantitative determination of lobeline was performed by external standard method at 250 nm, in the range of 2.4–80 μg mL⁻¹. Validation studies proved that the repeatability of the method was good and the recovery was satisfactory. In vitro organized cultures contained considerable amount of lobeline (herb: 175 μg g⁻¹, root: 100 μg g⁻¹). When these cultures were transplanted into the open field, the lobeline content increased significantly (herb: 323 μg g⁻¹, root: 833 μg g⁻¹). Plants obtained from seed propagation contained 382 μg g⁻¹ lobeline in the herb. For direct characterization of di-substituted piperidine alkaloids in extracts of L. inflata, tandem mass spectrometric method was developed using electrospray ionization. Analysis was performed in the positive ion mode on a triple quadropole LC–MS system. LC separations were achieved on Eurosphere C8 column with a modified mobile phase (acetonitrile–30 mM ammonium formate, pH 2.80) to ensure proper molecular ionization. The identification and structural elucidation of the alkaloids were performed by comparing their changes in molecular mass (ΔM), full-scan MS–MS spectra with those of lobeline, norlobelanine and lobelanidine. These alkaloids and ten other derivatives were identified in the plant extracts. Three piperidine alkaloids were reported in L. inflata for the first time.

     

Simultaneous Determination of Ebastine and Its Active Metabolite (Carebastine) in Human Plasma Using LC–MS–MS

A sensitive and rapid LC–MS–MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of ebastine and carebastine in human plasma. Solid-phase extraction was used to isolate the compounds from the biological matrix followed by separation on a Symmetry C18 column under isocratic conditions. The mobile phase was 10 mM ammonium formate in water/acetonitrile (40:60, v/v). Detection was carried out using a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer in positive electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring mode. The method was fully validated over the concentration range of 0.1–10 ng mL^?1 for ebastine and 0.2–200 ng mL^?1 for carebastine in human plasma, respectively. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.1 ng mL^?1 for ebastine and 0.2 ng mL^?1 for carebastine. For ebastine and carebastine inter- and intra-day precision (CV%) and accuracy values were all within ±15% and 85–115%, respectively. The extraction recovery was on average 60.0% for ebastine and 60.3% for carebastine.     

Validation and use of three complementary analytical methods (LC–FLS, LC–MS/MS and ICP–MS) to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and stability of motexafin gadolinium in plasma and tissues

Liquid chromatography–fluorescence (LC–FLS), liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) and inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) methods were developed and validated for the evaluation of motexafin gadolinium (MGd, Xcytrin) pharmacokinetics and biodistribution in plasma and tissues. The LC–FLS method exhibited the greatest sensitivity (0.0057 μg mL⁻¹), and was used for pharmacokinetic, biodistribution, and protein binding studies with small sample sizes or low MGd concentrations. The LC–MS/MS method, which exhibited a short run time and excellent selectivity, was used for routine clinical plasma sample analysis. The ICP–MS method, which measured total Gd, was used in conjunction with LC methods to assess MGd stability in plasma. All three methods were validated using human plasma. The LC–FLS method was also validated using plasma, liver and kidneys from mice and rats. All three methods were shown to be accurate, precise and robust for each matrix validated. For three mice, the mean (standard deviation) concentration of MGd in plasma/tissues taken 5 hr after dosing with 23 mg kg⁻¹ MGd was determined by LC–FLS as follows: plasma (0.025±0.002 μg mL⁻¹), liver (2.89±0.45 μg g⁻¹), and kidney (6.09±1.05 μg g⁻¹). Plasma samples from a subset of patients with brain metastases from extracranial tumors were analyzed using both LC–MS/MS and ICP–MS methods. For a representative patient, ≥90% of the total Gd in plasma was accounted for as MGd over the first hour post dosing. By 24 hr post dosing, 63% of total Gd was accounted for as MGd, indicating some metabolism of MGd.     

Analysis of Codeine in Urine and Opiate Sample by Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) and Gas Chromatography——Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)

The growth of the illegal heroin use has stimulated widespread testing for its abuse. However, since the heroin metabolizes quickly in the human body and not reliably detected in urine,its metabolites are by necessity the analytical targets for the detection of its intake. Of the metabolites of street heroin,codeine is important one. Thus,the analysis of codeine in urine also become an important application for the detection of street heroin intake. There are extensive literature on the determination of codeine in biological samples using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS). In those methods,the analytes were isolated by liquid-liquid or solid-phase extraction from the urine. Such procedure suffers from the requirement of high purity solvent and time consuming.     

氯代血红素的多级质谱研究(MS1～MS7)

在电喷雾离子阱质谱仪上,进行了氯代血红素的MS^1～MS^7 CID质谱研究。在各级碰撞诱导解离(CID)过程中,氯代血红素准分子离子[M-CI]的母环未发生碎裂反应,而与母环以碳碳单键相连的侧基依次失去。通过Hyperchem对氯代血红素分子结构的优化,对比各级质谱图,发现侧基的失去顺序与其键长有密切关系,键长越长,越优先失去。离子阱质谱仪的CID过程碰撞能量较低,有利于进行多级质谱分析,为得到母离子更详尽的结构信息提供了良好的条件。     

型煤中硫的还原热解MS和GC/MS分析(英文)

以煤和生物质为主要原料的商用型煤为研究对象，采用还原热解（AP-TPR）在线质谱（MS）联用，以及离线色谱/质谱（GC/MS）分析法，定性和定量研究了家用型煤释放的含硫化合物。不同组成的型煤表现出各自不同的硫释放特性。对于生物型煤来说，仅检测到少量二烷基硫醚和脂肪硫醇的存在。褐煤型煤检测到种类最多的有机硫化物。在高阶煤制成的型煤中没有检测到氧化态的硫化物，其典型特征是存在一些噻吩类硫化物。     

Analysis of ketamine and norketamine in hair samples using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

An anti-ketamine molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized and used as the sorbent in a solid-phase extraction protocol to isolate ketamine and norketamine from human hair extracts prior to LC-MS/MS analysis. Under optimised conditions, the MIP was capable of selectively rebinding ketamine, a licensed anaesthetic that is widely misused as a recreational drug, with an apparent binding capacity of 0.13 μg ketamine per mg polymer. The limit of detection (LOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) for both ketamine and norketamine were 0.1 ng/mg hair and 0.2 ng/mg hair, respectively, when 10 mg hair were analysed. The method was linear from 0.1 to 10 ng/mg hair, with correlation coefficients (R ²) of better than 0.99 for both ketamine and norketamine. Recoveries from hair samples spiked with ketamine and norketamine at a concentration of 50 ng/mg were 86% and 88%, respectively. The method showed good intra- and interday precisions (<5%) for both analytes. Minimal matrix effects were observed during the LC-MS/MS analysis of ketamine (ion suppression −6.8%) and norketamine (ion enhancement +0.2%). Results for forensic case samples demonstrated that the method successfully detected ketamine and norketamine concentrations in hair samples with analyte concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 5.7 ng/mg and from 0.1 to 1.2 ng/mg, respectively.     

Crystal Structures and Characterizations of Bis(pyrrolidinedithiocarbamato) Cu(II) and Zn(II) Complexes

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｈｅａｂｉｌｉｔｙｏｆｄｉｔｈｉｏｃａｒｂａｍａｔｅ(ｄｔｃ)ｂｉｎｄｉｎｇｔｏｍｅｔａｌｓｈａｓｂｅｅｎｋｎｏｗｎｆｏｒｍａｎｙｙｅａｒｓ .Ｉｔｆｏｒｍｓｃｈｅｌａｔｅｓｗｉｔｈｖｉｒｔｕ ａｌｌｙａｌｌｔｒａｎｓｉｔｉｏｎｍｅｔａｌｓ.1Ｔｈｅｂｉｄｅｎｔａｔｅａｎｉｏｎｉｓａｌｓｏｗｅｌｌｋｎｏｗｎａｓａｂｒｉｄｇｅｂｅｔｗｅｅｎｔｗｏｔｒａｎｓｉｔｉｏｎｍｅｔａｌｃｅｎｔｅｒｓ.2 Ｗａ ｔｅｒ ｓｏｌｕｂｌｅｄｉａｌｋｙｌｄｉｔｈｉｏｃａｒｂａｍａｔｅｃｏｍｐｌｅｘｅｓ…     

In Vitro and In Vivo Primary Metabolic Characterization of F18, a Novel Histone Deacetylase-6 (HDAC6) Inhibitor,Using UHPLC–QqQ–MS/MS and Q-TOF–MS Methods

F18, N-hydroxy-4-(2-methoxy-5-(methyl (2-methylquinazolin-4-yl) amino) phenoxy) butanamide, is a novel selective HDAC6 inhibitor with good antitumor activity. In the early drug development, drug-metabolism studies are a crucial and indispensable part. In this study, we proposed to evaluate the in vitro primary metabolism of F18 in phase Ι in liver microsomes from human, rat, dog, monkey and mouse and investigate the metabolite profile both in vitro and in vivo using LC–MS/MS methods. F18 showed high metabolic stability in human, rat, dog, monkey and mouse liver microsomes over 120 min, with t _1/2 >8 h in human, rat, and dog, and t _1/2 <3.5 h in monkey, with almost no clearance in mouse. Human cytochrome P450 (P450) phenotyping showed that F18 was predominantly metabolized by CYP2C9, CYP2E1, CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. The investigation of the effect of F18 on CYP enzymes in HLM demonstrated that this compound did not significantly inhibit CYP 1A2 (IC₅₀ >100 μM), was a moderate inhibitor of CYP3A4 (IC₅₀ = 1.63 μM) and had negligible effects on CYP3A1/2 activity in rats. The results will be valuable in understanding drug–drug interactions (DDI) when F18 is co-administered with other drugs. The metabolites of F18 were investigated in rat plasma, urine, feces and different liver microsomes in NADPH samples, yielding at least 11 metabolites in these biological samples. The prominent metabolic pathways were de-methylation, de-amination, de-oxidation and O-glucuronidation. In summary, this work provides the first clues regarding F18 metabolism, providing important information for comprehensive understanding of F18 metabolites.

     

Detection and Confirmation of Ginsenosides in Horse Urine by GC–MS and LC–MS

Ginseng has been used by the Chinese as a traditional herbal medicine for thousands of years. In view of the growing popularity in the use of ginseng preparations as natural remedies and food supplements worldwide, there is an increasing concern for their abuse in both human and animal sports. Ginsenosides are considered the major constituents of ginseng responsible for its pharmacological properties. In this study, a method was developed for the detection and confirmation of a number of ginsenosides in horse urine. The intact ginsenosides were detected and confirmed at 5–100 ng mL^?1 by LC–MS², and two deglycosylation metabolites, namely protopanaxadiol and protopanaxatriol, could both be detected and confirmed at 2 ng mL^?1 by GC–MS² after trimethylsilylation. The above GC–MS and LC–MS methods were then applied to study the in vitro metabolism of ginsenosides Rg1 and Rb1 and the in vivo urinary metabolites after oral administration of Rg1 to horses. Results obtained reveal the very first evidence for the existence of the metabolites, Rg1 and protopanaxatriol, as glucuronides in urine.     

Simultaneous and sensitive LC–MS/MS determination of tetrahydrocannabinol and metabolites in human plasma

Cannabis is not only a widely used illicit drug but also a substance which can be used in pharmacological therapy because of its analgesic, antiemetic, and antispasmodic properties. A very rapid and sensitive method for determination of ?⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal active component of cannabis, and two of its phase I metabolites in plasma has been developed and validated. After solid-phase extraction of plasma (0.2 mL), the clean extracts were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry after a 5-min liquid chromatographic separation. The linear calibration ranges were from 0.05 to 30 ng?mL^?1 for THC and 11-nor-?⁹-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH) and from 0.2 to 30 ng?mL^?1 for ?⁹-(11-OH)-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC). Imprecision and inaccuracy were always below 7 and 12 % (expressed as relative standard deviation and relative error), respectively. The method has been successfully applied to determination of the three analytes in plasma obtained from healthy volunteers after oral administration of 20 mg dronabinol.     

Determination of phthalate monoesters in human milk,consumer milk,and infant formula by tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS)

Daily exposure of humans to phthalates may be a health risk because animal experiments have shown these compounds can affect the differentiation and function of the reproductive system. Because milk is the main source of nutrition for infants, knowledge of phthalate levels is important for exposure and risk assessment. Here we describe the development and validation of a quantitative analytical procedure for determination of phthalate metabolites in human milk. The phthalate monoesters investigated were: monomethyl phthalate (mMP), monoethyl phthalate (mEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (mBP), monobenzyl phthalate (mBzP), mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (mEHP), and monoisononyl phthalate (mNP). The method is based on liquid extraction with a mixture of ethyl acetate and cyclohexane (95:5) followed by two-step solid-phase extraction (SPE). Detection and quantification of the phthalate monoesters were accomplished by high-pressure liquid chromatography using a Betasil phenyl column (100 mm×2.1 mm×3 m) and triple tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS). Detection limits were in the range 0.01 to 0.5 g L^–1 and method variation was from 5 to 15%. Analysis of 36 milk samples showed that all these phthalates were present, albeit at different concentrations. Median values (g L^–1) obtained were 0.11 (mMP), 0.95 (mEP), 3.5 (mBP), 0.8 (mBzP), 9.5 (mEHP), and 101 (mNP). We also analysed seven samples of consumer milk and ten samples of infant formula. Only mBP and mEHP were detected in these samples, in the ranges 0.6–3.9 g L^–1 (mBP) and 5.6–9.9 g L^–1 (mEHP).     

A quantitative HPLC–MS/MS method for studying internal concentrations and toxicokinetics of 34 polar analytes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

An analytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was developed to determine internal concentrations of 34 test compounds such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides in zebrafish embryos (ZFE), among them, cimetidine, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, metoprolol, atropine and phenytoin. For qualification and quantification, multiple reaction monitoring mode was used. The linear range extends from 0.075 ng/mL for thiacloprid and metazachlor and 7.5 ng/mL for coniine and clofibrate to 250 ng/mL for many of the test compounds. Matrix effects were strongest for nicotine, but never exceeded ±20 % for any of the developmental stages of the ZFE. Method recoveries ranged from 90 to 110 % from an analysis of nine pooled ZFE. These findings together with the simple sample preparation mean this approach is suitable for the determination of internal concentrations from only nine individual ZFE in all life stages up to 96 h post-fertilization. Exemplarily, the time course of the internal concentrations of clofibric acid, metribuzin and benzocaine in ZFE was studied over 96 h, and three different patterns were distinguished, on the basis of the speed and extent of uptake and whether or not a steady state was reached. Decreasing internal concentrations may be due to metabolism in the ZFE.

Automated determination of folate catabolites in human biofluids (urine,breast milk and serum) by on-line SPE–HILIC–MS/MS

A rapid, precise and fully-automated method for analysis of folate (vitamin B9) and its catabolites (viz. p-aminobenzoylglutamate and its acetamide derivative) in biofluids is here presented. The method is based on on-line hyphenation of solid-phase extraction (SPE) by a Prospekt 2 system with hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC–MS/MS). The method was analytically characterized by estimation of repeatability (RSD, n = 5, between 0.5 and 4.1%), accuracy (between 96 and 105%), and sensitivity (limits of quantificantion between 0.3 and 8.3 ng/mL (1.1 and 18.8 pmol/mL) or 0.03 and 0.83 ng (0.11 and 1.88 pmol)). The proposed method is suited for routine analysis of folate catabolites as biomarkers to monitor deficiency of vitamin B9.     

Solution or Gas Phase? Oxidation and Radical Formation in Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI MS)

The relationship between one‐electron (e^?) oxidation processes and the formation of radical cations of endogenous and exogenous compounds in vivo is of considerable interest. This paper reports on the experiments that allow FTICR mass spectrometric (MS) detection of ion signals that are consistent with the formation of radical cations of caffeine (CA) and theophylline (TP) during electrospray ionization (ESI) in ESI FTICR MS and in on‐line electrochemistry (EC)/ESI FTICR MS in positive mode. Significantly, the signals of the radicals of CA^?+ and TP^?+can be enhanced by simple modifications of the operating conditions in ESI MS, facilitating investigations of radical formation and related reactions.     

Rapid and sensitive HILIC–MS/MS analysis of carnitine and acetylcarnitine in biological fluids

Monitoring carnitine and acetylcarnitine levels in biological fluids is a powerful tool for diagnostic studies. Research has recently shown that the analysis of carnitine and related compounds in clinical samples can be accomplished by different analytical approaches. Because of the polar and ionic nature of the analytes and matrix complexity, accurate quantitation is a highly challenging task. Thus, sample processing factors, preparation/cleanup procedures, and chromatographic/ionization/detection parameters were evaluated. On the basis of the results obtained, a rapid, selective, sensitive method based on hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis of carnitine and acetylcarnitine in serum and urine samples is proposed. The matrix effect was assessed. The proposed approach was validated, the limits of detection were in the nanomolar range, and carnitine and acetylcarnitine levels were found within the micromolar range in both types of sample.

Synthesis and properties of ms- and β-substituted Pt(II) and Pt(IV) tetraphenylporphyrinates

The interaction of 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetra-(4-chlorophenyl)porphyrin, 2-bromo-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin, and 2,3,12,13-tetrabromo-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin with platinum(II) chloride in boiling phenol has been studied. The corresponding platinum(II) porphyrinates have been synthesized; their subsequent treatment with bromine in chloroform resulted in platinum(IV) porphyrinates. The Pt(II) and Pt(IV)(Br)₂ porphyrinates have been identified by elemental analysis, electron absorption, IR, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Determination of selected pesticides by GC with simultaneous detection by MS (NCI) and μ-ECD in fruit and vegetable matrices

A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method in negative chemical ionization mode has been developed incorporating simultaneous detection using a micro-electron capture detector (μ-ECD) for the determination of pesticides in fruits and vegetables. This instrument configuration uses a three-way splitter device which divides the effluent from the analytical column between the two detectors with the split ratio 1:0.1 (MSD/μ-ECD) in each run. The μ-ECD was used for confirmation purposes. Validation of the method was performed on three matrices: tomato, apple, and orange. The ethyl acetate method was assayed; recovery studies were performed at 10 and 100 μg/kg. Recoveries between 70% and 120% were achieved and relative standard deviations lower than 20% (n = 5) were obtained for all pesticides and matrices studied. Limits of quantification lower than 10 μg/kg were obtained for 100% of pesticides in all of the matrices. Limits of quantification lower than 2.5 μg/kg were achieved for 77.8% of pesticides in the tomato and apple matrices, and for 72.2% of pesticides in the orange matrix. The method showed linear response in the concentration range tested (2.5–500 μg/kg) with correlation coefficients >0.99. Good repeatability and reproducibility results were obtained in all cases, with relative standard deviations lower than 16.7% and 20%, respectively. Finally, 20 incurred samples were analyzed using the proposed method. The simultaneous use of the two detectors was satisfactory for the analysis of these real samples. The total number of pesticides identified was 25. The number of samples which contained at least one pesticide was 15—this represented 75% of the total number of samples studied.     

Elucidation of matrix effects and performance of solid-phase extraction for LC-MS/MS analysis of β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB) neurotoxins in cyanobacteria

A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) was developed for the analysis of neurotoxins β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DAB), using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) scan mode. Oasis-MCX and Strata-X-C polymeric cation-exchange cartridges were used to clean extracts of cyanobacterial cultures, including two strains of Microcystis aeruginosa and one strain of Nostoc sp. The performance of the solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges for BMAA and DAB were evaluated using mixed standards and spiked cyanobacterial extracts, which demonstrated recoveries of BMAA and DAB ranging from 66% to 91%. Matrix effects in LC-MS/MS were evaluated, and while there was no effect on BMAA quantitation, suppression of DAB was found. Full scan (Q1) and enhanced product ion (EPI) monitoring showed that the DAB suppression may be due to closely eluting compounds, including lysine, histidine, arginine and three other compounds with [M + H](+) m/z of 88, 164 and 191. The procedures developed allow the sensitive and effective analysis of trace BMAA and DAB levels in cyanobacteria. While DAB was confirmed to be present, no BMAA was found in the cyanobacterial samples tested in the present study.