Simultaneous qualitative and quantitative determination of phenolic compounds in Aloe barbadensis Mill by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-ion trap-time-of-flight and high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector.

An effective and comprehensive method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of phenolic compounds in the dried exudate of Aloe barbadensis Mill by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-ion trap-time-of-flight (LCMS-IT-TOF) and high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Qualitative analysis of all the compounds presented in A. barbadensis Mill was performed on LCMS-IT-TOF, and the diagnostic fragmentation patterns of different types of phenolic compounds (chromones, phenyl pyrones, naphthalene derivative, anthrones and anthraquinones) were discussed on the basis of ESI-IT-TOF MS of components in A. barbadensis Mill and eleven authentic standards. Under the optimal HPLC-DAD chromatographic conditions, quantification of 11 typical phenolic compounds in 15 batches of A. barbadensis Mill was achieved on an Agilent TC-C18 column using gradient elution with a solvent system of methanol and water at a flow rate of 1.0mLmin(-1) and detected at 230nm. All calibration curves exhibited good linear relationship (r(2)>0.9991). The relative standard deviation values for intraday precision were less than 2% with accuracies between 98.21% and 104.57%. The recoveries of the eleven analytes ranged from 97.53 to 105.00% with RSDs less than 2%. This is the first simultaneous characterization and quantitative determination of multiple phenolic compounds in A. barbadensis Mill from locally grown cultivars in China by LCMS-IT-TOF and HPLC-DAD, which can be applied to standardize the quality of A. barbadensis Mill and the future design of nutraceutical and cosmetic preparations.