HPLC - ELECTROSPRAY-IONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRIC ANALYSIS OF ANTIMALARIAL DRUG ARTEMISININ

A new analytical method for high-sensitivity direct detection, quantit ation, and isotopomer analysis of antimalarial drug artemisinin (qingh aosu) is described using HPLC-electrospray ionization mass spectrometr y, without pre- or postcolumn derivatization. The method has been show n to be particularly suitable for analysis of artemisinin in biosynthe tic stable isotope labeling experiments and quantitative analysis in t he nanogram range in crude biological samples such as Artemisia annua plant extracts. The method enabled isotopomer analysis in biosynthetic O-18-labeling experiments with plant cell-free enzyme preparation.