Rapid Analysis of Corni fructus Using Paper Spray‐Mass Spectrometry

Abstract Introduction Paper spray‐mass spectrometry (PS‐MS) is a kind of ambient MS technique for the rapid analysis of samples. Corni fructus has been widely used in traditional Chinese compound preparations and healthy food. However, a number of counterfeits of Corni fructus , such as Crataegi fructus , Lycii fructus , and grape skin are illegally sold in crude herb markets. Therefore, the development of a rapid and high‐throughput quality evaluation method is important for ensuring the effectiveness and safety of the crude materials of Corni fructus . Objective To develop PS‐MS chemical profiles and a semi‐quantitative method of Corni fructus for quality assessment and control, and species distinction of Corni fructus . Methodology Both positive and negative ion PS‐MS chemical profiles were constructed for species distinction. The statistical analysis of the chemical profiles was accomplished by principal component analysis (PCA). Rapid semi‐quantitative analysis of loganin and morroniside in the extracts of Corni fructus were accomplished by PS‐MS. Results The profiles of the Corni fructus and Crataegi fructus samples were clearly clustered into two categories. The limit of quantification (LOQ) in the semi‐quantitative analysis was 6 μg/mL and 5.6 μg/mL for loganin and morroniside, respectively. Conclusion PS‐MS is a simple, rapid, and high‐throughput method for the quality control and species distinction of Corni fructus . Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.