RESUMEN
Objective To analytically screen the volatile components from Chenxiang Huaqi Tablets (CHT) using gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) combined with automated mass spectral deconvolution, and establish the methods of multiple components contents (camphor, bornyl acetate, and patchouli alcohol) from CHT using multi reaction monitor (MRM). Methods The chromatographic column was HP-5MS (30 m × 0.32 mm × 0.25 μm). Temperature program: the initial temperature was 100 ℃, at 15 ℃/min up to 300 ℃ for 2 min. Injection port temperature was 280 ℃; Ionization methods: EI ion source with ion source temperature of 230 ℃; Quadrupole temperature was 150 ℃; Interface temperature was 280 ℃; Inject volume was 1 μl. Results A total of thirteen components were screened by automated mass spectral deconvolution soft. Under the conditions of MRM collection, camphor, bornyl acetate, and patchouli alcohol were in the range of 4.5-90 mg/mL (r = 0.999 8), 3.3-66 mg/mL (r = 0.999 8), and 2.6-51.5 mg/mL (r = 0.999 9), respectively, the ratio of each component concentration to its peak area was linear, and the average recovery (n = 6) was 101.15%, 102.64%, and 100.10% respectively; The mass fraction of 10 batches of samples were in the ranges of 0.278-0.311, 0.381-0.438, and 0.229-0.381. Conclusion The method is accurate, simple, and good repeatability. It can be used for the simultaneous determination of camphor, bornyl acetate, and patchouli alcohol in CHT, which provides a reference for the improvement of the quality of this variety.