Analysis of coptisine, berberine and palmatine in adulterated Chinese medicine by capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry

Chinese medicine preparations contaminated with coptisine, berberine and pa lmatine were studied by capillary electrophoresis-electrospray ion trap mas s spectrometry. The dubious adulterants were identified by their retention times, molecular ions and specific fragment ions produced from collision in duced dissociation. The results showed that, in comparison with CE-UV and c apillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry (CE-ESI-MS), more r eliable identification could be achieved with CE-ESI-MS-MS using ion trap m ass spectrometry. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.