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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

An Efficient and Rapid HPLC-QQQ-MS Method for the Quantitation of Tropane Alkaloids in Medicinal Plants
Published on: June 12, 2026
Quantitative analysis by HPLC-MS2 of the pyrrolizidine alkaloid adonifoline in Senecio scandens
Fang Zhang1, Chang-Hong Wang, Wan Wang
1Key Laboratory of Standardisation of Chinese Medicines of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, Shanghai 201203, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
A quantitative method using HPLC-MS(2) has been developed for the determination of adonifoline, one of the retronecine-type hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Senecio scandens Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don., a traditional Chinese herb. Using an orthogonal design test, a simple and rapid sample extraction method was developed. HPLC analysis was conducted using a C(18) column as stationary phase and a mixture of acetonitrile and aqueous formic acid as mobile phase. Good linearity for adonifoline was found in the concentration range 0.12-4.18 microg/mL, and the HPLC-MS/MS method was shown to be appropriate, in terms of sensitivity, precision and reproducibility. The quantities of adonifoline in extracts of 18 plant samples from different collection sources and from different parts (flowers, leaves, thick stems, slim stems and roots) of S. scandens were determined using the newly developed HPLC/MS(2) analysis.

