Analysis of Artemisia annua extracts and related products by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry coupled to sample treatment miniaturisation

Publication date: Available online 23 May 2019Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical AnalysisAuthor(s): Michele Protti, Roberto Mandrioli, Manuela Mandrone, Concettina Cappadone, Giovanna Farruggia, Ilaria Chiocchio, Emil Malucelli, Gloria Isani, Ferruccio Poli, Laura MercoliniABSTRACTArtemisinin, the main antimalarial compound of Artemisia annua L., is currently attracting increasing interest for its antiproliferative properties, but its content is highly variable, depending on several genetic, environmental and processing conditions. Aim of the present study is to analyse the artemisinin content in different plant extracts, to test their in vitro activity on cell proliferation and then to correlate these data to the active principle concentration. For this purpose, an innovative miniaturised sample pretreatment strategy based on microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS) was developed and coupled to an original advanced method based on liquid chromatography with diode array detection and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-DAD-MS/MS). The method was fully validated, granting consistent data. Good linearity was found over a suitable concentration range, i.e. 5-1000 ng/mL. Extraction yields (>85%), precision (RSD < 3.5%) and accuracy (recovery 88-93%) were all within acceptable levels of confidence. After validation, the method was successfully applied to the determination of artemisinin in A. annua extracts. Analyte content was widely variable (up to twenty-fold) ...
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: research