Chemical profiling of constituents of Smilacis glabrae using ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with LTQ Orbitrap mass spectrometry

A reliable LC-MS method has been applied for the separation and identification of major constituents of the rhizome of Smilacis glabrae. Identification of the constituents was carried out by interpretation of their retention time, and MS and MS/MS data, especially by comparing these with Sarcandra glabra under the same LC-MS conditions, as well as the data provided by the literature. Thirty-three compounds, including catechin derivatives, flavanonols, phenolic acid derivatives and phenylpropanoid glycosides were either identified or tentatively characterized. Among them, compound 12 was deduced to be a new phenylpropanoid-substituted catechin. Fragmentation behaviors of the three major categories of compounds were also investigated. This UPLC-PDA/ESI-MS(n) method was effective for the separation and identification of the constituents and could be the basis for the comprehensive quality control of Smilacis glabrae.