The UPLC-ESI-QqQLIT-MS/MS method for quantitative determination of phytochemicals in ethanolic extracts of different parts of eight Ficus species: Development and validation

• Published in: International journal of food properties Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 328 - 344
• Main Authors: Kumar, Sunil, Singh, Awantika, Kushwaha, Arun K., Tiwari, Rinkey, Chaudhary, Lal B., Srivastava, Mukesh, Kumar, Brijesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.01.2018; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Acetonitrile; Bioactive compounds; Chlorogenic acid; Ficus; Ficus species; Formic acid; Fruits; Ionization; Ions; Leaves; Liquid chromatography; LIT; Mass spectroscopy; MS/MS; Phytochemicals; Principal component analysis; Quality control; Quantitation; Quinic acid; Rutin; Species; UPLC-ESI-QqQ; UPLC–ESI–QqQLIT–MS/MS
• ISSN: 1094-2912; 1532-2386
• DOI: 10.1080/10942912.2017.1414838

Ficus and validation of the ultra performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QqQ LIT -MS/MS) method in a multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode for the quantitative determination of 19 phytochemicals. The chromatographic separation of targeted phytochemicals was performed using the Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH™ C18 column (1.7 μm, 2.1 mm × 50 mm) with 0.1% formic acid with water and acetonitrile as a mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min. The validation parameters showed the overall recoveries from 95.78−101.44% (RSD ≤ 3.25%), precision (intra-day: RSD ≤ 2.96%; inter-day: RSD ≤ 2.89%), linearity (R 2  ≥ 0.9982), limit of detection (8.60 × 10 -10 −2.18 × 10 -6  mg/mL), and the limit of quantitation (2.60 × 10 -9 -6.63 × 10 -6  mg/mL) in the concentration range from 0.5 to 1000 × 10 -6  mg/mL. This method was successfully applied in ethanolic extracts of different parts (fruits, leaves, and barks) of selected eight Ficus species. Quinic acid was predominant followed by rutin and chlorogenic acid among the studied nineteen phytochemicals. Ficus benjamina showed the maximum total content in fruits and leaves. The UPLC-ESI-QqQ LIT -MS/MS method combined with principal component analysis (PCA) was successfully used for Ficus species discrimination on the basis of the contents of 15 compounds. The UPLC-ESI-QqQ LIT -MS/MS method combined with PCA could be used for quality control.