Simultaneous determination of lipo-alkaloids extracted from Aconitum carmiechaeli using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and multiple tandemmass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) combined with multiple t andem mass spectrometry (MSn) has been applied for simultaneously determini ng lipo-alkaloids from the aconite tubers. ESI-MS can give a very good mass separation for lipo-alkaloid mixture and MSn can provide structural inform ation. Accordingly, structures were assigned to 12 known lipo-alkaloids inc luding lipoaconitines, lipomesaconitines, lipodeoxyaconitines, and lipohypa conitines on the base of the information obtained using MSn. Also, four new lipo-alkaloids were found and their structures were interpreted using the MSn data.