Studies on Triterpenoids and Flavones in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. By HPLC-ESI-MSn and FT-ICR-MSn

Seven compounds, four flavones and three triterpenoids from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. extract are identified by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization multi‐tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐ESI‐MSⁿ). The fragmentation pathways of these compounds are investigated by ESI‐MSⁿ and Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance multiple‐stage tandem mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐MSⁿ). Comparing the retention times (t_R) and mass spectra with those of reference compounds, seven components are identified in Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and their MSⁿ data proposed plausible schemes for their fragmentation. All the experimental results show that ESI‐MSⁿ and FT‐ICR‐MSⁿ are powerful tools for the structural characterization of triterpenoids and flavones.