Simultaneous Quantitative Determination of Six Triterpenoid Saponins in Ardisia japonica Collected from Different Regions of China through LC-ESI-MS

Background: The whole plants of Ardisia japonica (Myrsinaceae) are used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of phlegm, cough, jaundice, edema, and bruise, and triterpenoid saponins are the main bioactive components. However, triterpenoid saponins from this plant have not yet been simultaneously quantitatively determined and reported. Objectives: The present study aimed to establish a fast, simple, and reliable LC-ESI-MS analysis method for simultaneous quantization of the major triterpenoid saponins in A. japonica for the first time. Materials and Methods: Six major triterpenoid saponins from the plant species of Ardisia were selected as the reference compounds. Five batches of A. japonica were gathered from five distinct regions of P. R. China. Quantitative analysis was developed and validated by LC-ESI-MS in SIM mode. The separation conditions were optimized on a RP C₁₈ Column with ACN and 0.1% FA (v/v) at a flow rate of 0.2 ml/min and column temperature of 35°C. Results: The validation investigation found that the analysis method was accurate, recoverable, and sensitive for quantification of the six triterpenoid saponins. All of the calibration curves revealed acceptable linear regression (R²>0.9975). The contents of six triterpenoid saponins in A. japonica from five regions varied considerably. Conclusion: The present study established a highly efficient analytical technique to quantify the triterpenoid saponins in A. japonica, and it could be further applied in the quality control of A. japonica.