Comparison of three chromatographic techniques for the detection of mitragynine and other indole and oxindole alkaloids in Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) plants

Leaves of the Southeast Asian plant Mitragyna speciosa are used to suppress pain and mitigate opioid withdrawal syndromes. The potential threat of abuse and ready availability of this uncontrolled psychoactive plant have led to the need for improved analytical techniques for the detection of the major active components, mitragynine and 7‐hydroxymitragynine. Three independent chromatographic methods coupled to two detection systems, GC with MS, supercritical fluid chromatography with diode array detection, and HPLC with MS and diode array detection, were compared for the analysis of mitragynine and other indole and oxindole alkaloids in M. speciosa plants. The indole alkaloids included two sets of diastereoisomers: (i) paynantheine and 3‐isopaynantheine and (ii) mitragynine, speciogynine, and speciociliatine. Two oxindole alkaloid diastereoisomers, corynoxine and corynoxine B, were also studied. The HPLC and supercritical fluid chromatography methods successfully resolved the major components with slightly different elution orders. The GC method was less satisfactory because it was unable to resolve mitragynine and speciociliatine. This separation was difficult by GC with a liquid stationary phase because these diastereoisomers differ only in the orientation of an interior hydrogen atom. The observed lack of resolution of the indole alkaloid diastereoisomers coupled with the likeness of the mass and tandem mass spectra, calls into question proposed GC methods for the analysis of mitragynine based on solely GC with MS separation and identification.     

Application of N,3-diaryl-3-oxo-propanethioamide in synthesis: an efficient and mild domino approach to highly substituted fused chromenones

A convenient and rapid synthesis of hitherto unknown 3-aroyl-4-aryl-2-phenylamino-4H-benzo[g]chromene-5,10-diones in high yield from β-aroyl-thioacetanilide, aromatic aldehyde, and 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone via InCl₃ catalyzed one-pot three-component tandem Knoevenagel condensation–Michael addition–intramolecular cyclization–elimination reaction sequence is disclosed for the first time. This domino protocol has been used to obtain highly substituted pyrano[3,2-c]chromen-5(4H)-ones and 7,7-dimethyl-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromen-5(6H)-ones from N,3-diaryl-3-oxo-propanethioamide, aromatic aldehyde, and 4-hydroxycoumarine or dimedone under mild reaction conditions. A plausible reaction mechanism is proposed. The 4H-pyrano[3,2-c]chromen-5-one and 7,7-dimethyl-7,8-dihydro-4H-chromen-5(6H)-one derivatives possessing 3-(2-chlorobenzoyl)-2-phenylamino-substituents further cyclized under basic conditions to yield penta-cyclic 7,13-diaryl-5,14-dioxa-13-aza-benzo[a]naphthacen-6,8(7H,13H)-dione and tetra-cyclic 6,12-diaryl-3,3-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromeno[2,3-b]quinolin-1,11(6H,12H)-dione, respectively.     

Liquid Chromatography for Separation and Quantitative Determination of Adrenergic Amines and Flavonoids from Poncirus trifoliatus Raf. Fruits at Different Stages of Growth

The fruits of Poncirus trifoliatus Raf. (Rutaceae) have been used against allergic diseases for generations and still occupy an important place in traditional oriental medicine. They have also been used to treat gastric and duodenal ulcers. Chemical analysis of extracts of Poncirus trifoliatus Raf. fruit at different stages of maturation revealed variations in the concentrations of flavonoids present. Fourteen flavonoids (neoeriocitrin, narirutin, naringin, hesperidin, neohesperidin, neoponcirin, poncirin, naringenin, hesperetin, sinensetin, nobiletin, heptamethoxyflavone, 5-O-demethylnobiletin, and tangeretin) and five amines (synephrine, octopamine, N-methyltyramine, hordenine, and tyramine) in extracts from the fruit of Poncirus trifoliatus Raf. were analyzed by HPLC with a C₁₈ reversed-phase column. The concentrations of the four flavonoids naringin, poncirin, narirutin, and neoponcirin was maximum during the first stage of growth and gradually decreased until the fruits were fully developed. The paper also discusses the anatomical variations observed at different stages of development of the fruit.     

Chemical Fingerprinting of Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh) and Its Comparison Study with Closely Related Actaea Species (A. pachypoda, A. podocarpa, A. rubra) by HPLC

Black cohosh (Actaea recemosa) is a popular botanical used for women’s health. The rhizomes/roots used in black cohosh products are often collected from the wild; a correct identification is therefore crucial. An HPLC-ELSD method has been developed for the analysis of terpenoids in different Actaea species samples. The best results were obtained with a Phenomenex Discovery column using gradient mobile phase of water (0.1% acetic acid), acetonitrile (0.1% acetic acid) and reagent alcohol. Owing to their low UV absorption, the triterpene saponins were detected by evaporative light scattering. Elution was run at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1. This paper discusses the use of the chemical fingerprinting technique as a means of identifying A. recemosa from three closely related species, A. pachypoda, A. podocarpa and A. rubra, respectively. This method suggests that the analytical method could be a useful method for quality control and identifying species.     

Identification and structural characterization of steroidal glycosides in Hoodia gordonii by ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Electrospray ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-TOFMS) were used to identify and characterize eight C-21 steroidal glycosides in Hoodia gordonii. A generalized fragmentation pathway was proposed by comparing the spectra acquired for eight C-21 steroidal glycosides. The steroidal glycosides in Hoodia gordonii have been classified into two major core groups: hoodigenin A and calogenin. Using the ESI-TOF method, the major core peak ions generated by hoodigenin A glycosides are m/z 313 and 295 and by calogenin glycosides are m/z 479, 461, 299 and 281, respectively. In the MS/MS spectra, fragmentation reactions of the [M+Na](+) ion were recorded to provide structural information about the glycosyl and aglycone moieties. The data illustrates the ability of positive mode ESI for the identification of hoodigenin A and calogenin glycosides, including the nature of the hoodigenin A and calogenin core, the number of sugar residues and the type of saccharide moiety.     

Determination and quantitation of five cucurbitane triterpenoids in Momordica charantia by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection

A simple and specific analytical method for the quantitative determination of five cucurbitane-type triterpenoids isolated from the fruit of Momordica charantia is developed. The triterpenoids present in the fruits of Momordica charantia are separated with an acetonitrile (0.1% acetic acid)-water (0.1% acetic acid)-methanol (0.1% acetic acid) gradient at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The high-performance liquid chromatography separation was performed on a Phenomenex C18 reversed-phase column. By using an evaporative light scattering detector, the main triterpenoids of Momordica charantia could be detected at levels as low as 10 microg/mL. The method was validated for precision, repeatability, and accuracy. The relative standard deviation was between 0.6-4.4%. The method was sensitive, quick, and accurate for the determination of main triterpenes and saponins in Momordica charantia, and can be used for quality control of Momordica charantia and its related dietary supplements.     

A Simple and Convenient Strategy for the Synthesis of Novel Ten,Twelve, and Fourteen‐membered Phosphorus Macrocyclic Compounds

Synthesis of the title compounds 4(a – i) was accomplished through a two‐step process. The synthetic route involves the cyclization of equimolar quantities of 2,2′‐methylene(methyl)bis(4,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐phenol) ( 1 ) with tris‐(2‐chloro‐ethyl) phosphite ( 2a ), tris‐(2‐bromo‐ethyl) phosphine ( 2b ), and tris‐bromo methyl phosphine ( 2c ) in the presence of sodium hydride in dry tetrahydrofuran at 45–50°C. They were further converted to the corresponding oxides, sulfides, and selenides under N₂ atmosphere by reacting them with hydrogen peroxide, sulfur, and selenium, respectively ( 4a – c , 4d – f, and 4g – i ). But the compounds 6a , b were prepared by the direct cyclocondensation of equimolar quantities of 1 with (2‐chloro‐ethyl)‐phosphonic acid dibromomethyl ester ( 5a ) and (2‐chloro‐ethyl)‐phosphonic acid bis(2‐bromo‐ethyl) ester ( 5b ) in the presence of sodium hydride in dry tetrahydrofuran at 45–50°C in moderate yields. All the newly synthesized compounds 4 ( a – i ) and 6 ( a – b ) exhibited moderate in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities.     

Chemical profiling and characterization of phenolic acids,flavonoids, terpene glycosides from Vangueria agrestis using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and metabolomics approach

Vangueria agrestis is a shrub indigenous to tropical Africa, belonging to family Rubiaceae and is traditionally used as a decoction for treatment of fever, pain, and malaria. This study was undertaken to investigate the chemical constituents based on precursor exact mass and fragment ion information. The chemical profiling and structural characteristics of chemical constituents from methanolic extracts of dried aerial parts and roots of V. agrestis and dietary supplements were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/ion mobility quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry coupled with UNIFI platform and multivariate analysis in both negative and positive ion modes. A non-targeted ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was carried out to profile the chemical constituents of crude extracts of V. agrestis, and 73 compounds, including reference compounds, were identified. The fragments of flavonoids, monoterpene, and triterpene glycosides revealed the characteristic cleavage of glycosidic linkages, and the fragmentation pattern provided the identity of the sugars. This analytical method provides a quick method for quality assessment of dietary supplements. Finally, a chemometrics approach with multivariate statistical tools was used to visualize the differences between root and aerial parts of plant samples and to find the potential chemical markers that differentiate among these parts of V. agrestis samples and dietary supplements.