ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the compounds in fruits of Psoralea corylifolia by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The chromatographic separation was carried out at 30 degrees C on a Diamonsil C18 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) eluted in the gradient program. The mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile (A) and water containing 0.05% formic acid (B). The detection wavelength was at 246 nm and the on-line UV spectra was recorded in the range of 190-400 nm. The mass spectra were obtained by Finnigan LCQ Deca XP(plus) ion trap mass spectrometer in the positive ion mode with ion spray voltage 4.5 kV, sheath gas (N2), 60 arbitrary units, auxiliary gas (N2), 20 arbitrary units; capillary temperature, 350 degrees C, capillary voltage 19 V, tube lens offset voltage 25 V, mass range recorded, m/z 90-800.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Two coumarin glycosides, three coumarins, eight flavonoids and one meroterpene were identified by HPLC-MS method.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The method is simple and rapid for the identification and quality control for the fruits of P. corylifolia.</p>