Identification and characterization of chemical constituents in Scutellariae barbatae Herba by UHPLC-QTOF-MS

Scutellariae barbatae Herba, the dried whole plant of S.barbatae D. Don, has been documented in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia since 1985. The chemical constituents of S. barbatae Herba are complex. And comprehensive analysis of the chemical components in S. barbatae Herba is still scarcely studied. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used in both negative and positive ion modes to comprehensively analyze chemical constituents of S. barbatae Herba. Moreover, the fragmentation pathways of compounds were explained in brief. According to tandem mass spectrometry fragmentation data and previous reports, a total of 39 compounds were identified, including 19 flavonoids, 4 neo-clerodane diterpenoids, 1 neo-clerodane diterpenoid alkaloid, 3 triterpenes, 5 fatty acids, 1 lignin, 1 monoterpene phenol, and 4 other constituents. More fragments of information are formed in the compounds, and the fragmentation pathways were explained simply. The developed analytical method is simple, reliable, and effective, providing comprehensive information on the metabolite profile of S. barbatae Herba, which may enhance its quality control and further utilization.