Study on application of DESI-MSI in quality control of classical famous prescription Shaoyao Gancao Decoction / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: Using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (UHPLC-DAD) and desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) to analyze 15 batches of Shaoyao Gancao Decoction (SGD) substance benchmark and lyophilized powder in order to investigate the advantages of DESI-MSI in quality control of famous classical formulas. Methods: Taking SGD as the research model, fingerprints of the substance benchmark were established by UHPLC-DAD, and the content of index components (paeoniflorin, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid) and the yield of dry extract were also investigated. Meanwhile, as the research carrier, the lyophilized powder corresponding to SGD was dissolved in methanol and dotted on qualitative filter paper with quantitative capillary, and fixed it on the slide to make samples. The samples were analyzed on a DESI-MSI system in positive and negative ion mode with methanol-formic acid (1 0001, flow rate of 3 μL/min) as spray solvent, N2 as spray gas (pressure of 0.5 MPa). The scanning range was m/z 100-1 200, the spatial resolution was 300 μm, the ion source temperature was 120 ℃. Results: DESI-MSI can detect not only the index components of paeoniflorin, liquiritin, glycyrrhizic acid, but also the common peaks of albiflorin. At the same time, DESI-MSI could detect 11 other components from Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Paeoniae Radix Alba, such as licoricesaponin G2, licoricesaponin J2, gallic acid, citric acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and present their relative content visually. The qualitative analysis ability of DESI-MSI was much better than UHPLC-DAD. Conclusion: DESI-MSI can be used as the quality control method for substance benchmark and lyophilized powder and dispensing granules of classical famous formulas with advantages of high sensitivity, strong analytical ability, no complex sample pretreatment, qualitative and relative content analysis of complex samples without reference substance.