Rapid identification of two species of Peucedanum by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

The fragmentation behaviors of the angular- and linear-type coumarins from Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn and P. decursivum (Miq.) Maxim were simultaneously investigated by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS(n). For more structural identification, the fragment ions were analyzed and some possible fragmentation pathways were proposed. Different positions and numbers of the substituent also led to different fragment behaviors. Two types of coumarins from P. praeruptorum and P. decursivum were structurally elucidated by these techniques. In addition, UV spectra were applied to support the MS analysis. This is the first time that the two types of coumarins from herbal extracts have been differentiated by HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS(n). The method further illustrated the importance of the ESI-MS(n) technique in the identification of different types of coumarins and was applied for the rapid differentiation of the two herbs.