Simultaneous determination of nine antiviral agents illegally adulterated into traditional Chinese medicines by HPLC-MS/MS / 中国药学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To develop an HPLC-MS method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of nine antiviral agents illegally adulterated in traditional Chinese medicines. METHODS: The samples were separated on a CAPCELL PAK CR 1:4 column (2.0 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) by gradient elution with 0.1% formic acid solution(adjusted to pH 3.5 with ammonium hydroxide) as the mobile phase A and acetonitrile as the mobile phase B. The gradient elution program was as follows: 0-12 min (90% A→48% A), 12-15 min (48% A→20% A), 15-19 min (20% A→15% A), 19-20 min (90% A). The flow rate was 0.2 mL·min-1 and the injection volume was 5 μL. After being separated by HPLC, the test solution was analyzed by mass spectrometer operated in positive ion mode and in product mode and SRM mode. RESULTS: The calibration curves of the nine antiviral agents showed good linearity and the correlation coefficients were more than 0.998. The recoveries at 3 spiked levels were in the range of 80.6%-117.7%. The limits of quantification were in the range of 0.1-1 μg·g-1. The fragmentation pattern of the nine antiviral agents was summarized. CONCLUSION: The method is sensitive, specific, accurate and applicable to detect the nine antiviral agents in traditional Chinese medicines.