Qualitative and quantitative analyses of chemical components in different parts of Marsdenia cavaleriei

Species of the genus Marsdenia have a long history of medicinal use in China, with C21 steroids serving as the principal bioactive constituents. Marsdenia cavaleriei remains an unexplored phytochemical resource, particularly regarding the material basis in different plant parts. In this study, an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) analytical method was developed to thoroughly characterize the chemical constituents of this plant. A total of 68 compounds were identified, 48 of which were tentatively identified as novel. Principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were employed to screen 18 potential chemical markers, elucidating compositional differences across various plant parts. Quantification of Tenacissoside H was conducted using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with charged aerosol detection (UHPLC-CAD), revealing its absence in the leaves. The average content of Tenacissoside H in the roots (0.281 %) exceeded that in the stems. A semi-quantitative analytical method was developed under identical gradient conditions with inverse gradient compensation. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the average response factors for five references was 2.46 %. The semi-quantitative analysis of nine primary C21 steroids showed that Tenacigenoside K and Tenacissoside A were most abundant in the leaves, Tenacissoside A and Marsdenoside H dominated in the stems, and Marsdenoside H and Tenacissoside D were the most prevalent in the roots. This study presents a comprehensive approach for qualitative and quantitative analysis, thereby enhancing our understanding of the chemical composition of M. cavaleriei across its various parts and providing a foundation for its broader application.