Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (LC-ESI-MSD-TOF) and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) Methods for the Determination of Ginkgolides and Bilobalide in G. biloba and Dietary Supplements.

Ginkgo biloba, a medicinal herb that appears to improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease, has become one of America's most popular dietary supplements [1]. Ginkgo's interference with platelet aggregation in vitro has been attributed to its ginkgolides, the unique terpenelactones characteristic of this ancient plant [1]. An LC-MSD-TOF and UPLC-MS methods were developed for the determination of five terpenelactones in Ginkgo biloba without the need of derivatization. The separation was performed using a C18 column and a mobile phase comprised of water and acetonitrile both containing 0.1% formic acid. The LOD of ginkgolide J (GJ), ginkgolide C (GC), ginkgolide A (GB) and ginkgolide A (GA) were found to be in the range from 5–10 ng/mL by LC-MSD-TOF and UPLC-MS methods. The LOD of bilobalide (BB) was 250 ng/mL and 50 ng/mL by LC-MSD-TOF and UPLC-MS methods, respectively. The method was applied for the determination of ginkgolides and bilobalide in dietary supplements which claim to contain G. biloba. The content of bilobalide and four ginkgolides were found to be in the range from 0.05–2.7% (bilobalide), 0.003–0.9% (GJ), 0.005–6.7% (GC), 0.01–4.2% (GA) and 0.01–1.7% (GB) for various products and plant samples analyzed. Acknowledgements: This research is funded in part by “Science Based Authentication of Dietary Supplements” Funded by the Food and Drug Administration grant number 2 U01 FD 002071-07 and “In Vivo studies of Gingko biloba Neuroprotection” University of Maryland/NIH Grant No. 7 R01 AT001928-03. References: [1] Leung AY, Foster S Encyclopedia of common natural ingredients used in food, drugs and cosmetics. John Wiley & Sons, editors. New York, 1996.