Planta Med 2012; 78 - PI393
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1321080

Simultaneous determination of sesquiterpenes and pyrrolizidine alkaloids from rhizomes of Petasites hybridus and dietary supplements using UPLC-MS

B Avula 1, YH Wang 1, M Wang 1, TJ Smillie 1, IA Khan 1, 2
  • 1National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • 2Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, MS 38677, USA

UPLC-UV method has been developed for the analysis of major sesquiterpenes and pyrrolizidine alkaloids from rhizomes of Petasites hybridus (L.) G.M. et Sch. (Family, Asteracea) and dietary supplements claiming to contain P. hybridus. The best results were obtained with Acquity UPLCTM HSS T3 (100mm×2.1mm, i.d., 1.8µm) column system using gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of ammonium formate (50 mM) and acetonitrile (0.05% formic acid) at a constant flow rate of 0.25 mL/min using UPLC-UV method. The newly developed method was validated according to the ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, accuracy and precision. The method was successfully used to analyze different P. hybridus market products, as well as to distinguish between other two Petasites species. The total content of petasins was found to be in the range from 0.02–11.6mg/dosage form for 21 dietary supplements analyzed and petasins were not detected in six dietary supplements. The pyrrolizidine alkaloids were detected in seven dietary supplements.