Rapid identification of vinca alkaloids by direct-injection electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry and confirmation by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Abstract

A simple and rapid method for the identification of Vinca alkaloids from a crude extract of Catharanthus roseus G. Don (Apocynaceae) by direct-injection electrospray ionisation (ESI) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been developed. The alkaloids vindoline, vindolidine, vincristine and vinblastine were evaluated in a commercial extract of C. roseus using this method. Catharanthine and its isomers 19S-vindolinine and vindolinine were detected in the commercial product by direct injection ESI/MS/MS and confirmed by preparation and by HPLC-ESI/MS. For the characterisation of different fragment fingerprints, ESI/MS/MS is a sensitive, rapid and convenient technique by which to identify some constituents in complex and mixed plant extracts.

Enhancement of Vindoline Production in Suspension Culture of the Catharanthus roseus Cell Line C20hi by Light and Methyl Jasmonate Elicitation

“…19 The fragment ion of 305 at m/z 337 may suggest the existence of tabersonine, and the fragment ion of 321 at m/z 353 may suggest the existence of an isomer of ajmalicine. 20 These results confirm that C20hi cells have the ability to produce vindoline and catharanthine.…”

A Simplified Procedure for Indole Alkaloid Extraction from Catharanthus roseus Combined with a Semi-synthetic Production Process for Vinblastine

“…These ions were probably produced by other isomeric compounds of catharanthine like vindolinine and tabersonine, both having the same molecular mass of 336. Zhou et al [12] have also shown that direct-injection ESI-MS/MS not only gives important information on the molecular masses of catharanthus alkaloids but also provides characteristic structural information that is useful in identifying the compounds. …”

“…High performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS) provides a highly selective and sensitive means for identification of the alkaloids [10,11]. Direct-injection ESI-MS has also been used for rapid identification of Catharanthus alkaloids [12]. In this work compounds from the reaction mixture were analyzed and identified using HPLC-UV and the identification was confirmed by direct-injection ESI-MS/MS in positive ion mode.…”

Quantitative analysis of metabolic pathways in Catharanthus roseus hairy roots metabolically engineered for terpenoid indole alkaloid overproduction

“…Hörhammericine and tabersonine can be detected at 329 nm. The protocol was adapted from Zhou et al (2005) [1]. For 40 minutes, at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min, the mobile phase was linearly ramped from a 45:55 to a 65:35 mixture of methanol:0.1% triethylamine.…”