Optimization of the Ion Source-Mass Spectrometry Parameters in Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Pharmaceuticals Analysis by a Design of Experiments Approach

The flow rates of drying and nebulizing gas, heat block and desolvation line temperatures and interface voltage are potential electrospray ionization parameters as they may enhance sensitivity of the mass spectrometer. The conditions that give higher sensitivity of 13 pharmaceuticals were explored. First, Plackett-Burman design was implemented to screen significant factors, and it was concluded that interface voltage and nebulizing gas flow were the only factors that influence the intensity signal for all pharmaceuticals. This fractionated factorial design was projected to set a full 2(2) factorial design with center points. The lack-of-fit test proved to be significant. Then, a central composite face-centered design was conducted. Finally, a stepwise multiple linear regression and subsequently an optimization problem solving were carried out. Two main drug clusters were found concerning the signal intensities of all runs of the augmented factorial design. p-Aminophenol, salicylic acid, and nimesulide constitute one cluster as a result of showing much higher sensitivity than the remaining drugs. The other cluster is more homogeneous with some sub-clusters comprising one pharmaceutical and its respective metabolite. It was observed that instrumental signal increased when both significant factors increased with maximum signal occurring when both codified factors are set at level +1. It was also found that, for most of the pharmaceuticals, interface voltage influences the intensity of the instrument more than the nebulizing gas flowrate. The only exceptions refer to nimesulide where the relative importance of the factors is reversed and still salicylic acid where both factors equally influence the instrumental signal. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Phenolic compounds in Coleostephus myconis (L.) Rchb.f.: characterization by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS and phenology effects

The Asteraceae family is spread worldwide. In Portugal, there are more than 300 species, standing out as one of the botanical families with largest representation in the Portuguese flora. Coleostephus myconis (L.) Rchb.f. is a scarcely studied Asteraceae species, characterized as having ruderal growth and persistence in abandoned soils (an expanding problem due to the desertification phenomena in rural areas). In this work, the flowers of C. myconis were collected in three different flowering stages (i: flower bud; ii: flower in anthesis; iii: senescent flower) from the Northwestern area of the Portuguese territory. Powdered samples (1 g) were extracted twice with ethanol:water 50:50 (v/v). After removing solvents, the combined extracts were re-dissolved, filtered through 0.22-μm disposable LC filter disks and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a diode array detector and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS). The phenolic compounds were characterized according to their UV and mass spectra, and retention times. For the quantitative analysis, calibration curves of standard compounds were used. According to the UV spectra (λmax = 314-330 nm) and pseudomolecular ions ([M-H]-) at m/z 353 and 515, all producing an m/z 191 ion, four compounds derived from quinic acid were detected: 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid (Figure 1A), 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (Figure 1B), 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid (Figure 1C) and 4,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid (Figure 1D), as also supported by the literature [1,2]. A fifth phenolic acid was identified as protocatechuic acid. The detected flavonoid were quercetin-O-glucuronide, quercetin-3-Oglucoside, myricetin-O-methyl-hexoside and a second glycosylated myricetin (not possible to identify completely). Some statistically significant changes were detected among the different assayed flowering stages; nevertheless, 3,5-O-dicaffeoylquinic acid was the major compound, independently of the phenologic stage. According to the previous results, C. myconis might be considered as a potential natural source of these valuable bioactive compounds, especially considering the high botanical representativeness of this plant and its inexpensiveness.

Non-fermented and fermented jabuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora Mart.) pomaces as valuable sources of functional ingredients

abuticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora. Mart) is a highly perishable fruit native to Brazil, which is consumed both fresh and industrially processed in the form of juices, jams, wines and distilled liqueurs. This processing generates a large amount of waste by-products, which represent approximately 50% of the fruit weight. The by-products are of interest for obtaining valuable bioactive compounds that could be used as nutraceuticals or functional ingredients. In this study, fermented and non-fermented jabuticaba pomaces were studied regarding their hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds, as well as their antioxidant properties, including: soluble sugars, organic acids and tocopherols (using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to refraction index, diode array and fluorescence detector, respectively); phenolics and anthocyanins, (using liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detection, and mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization); and fatty acids (using gas-liquid chromatography with flame ionization detection). The analytical data demonstrated that jabuticaba pomaces are a rich source of bioactive compounds such as tocopherols, polyunsaturated fatty acids and phenolic compounds (namely hydrolyzable tannins and anthocyanins) with antioxidant potential. Therefore, jabuticaba pomace may have good potential as a functional ingredient in the fabrication of human foods and animal feed.

Identification of metabolites of kurarinone from Sophora flavescens Ait in rat urine by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with linear ion trap orbitrap mass spectrometry

Purpose: To study the in vivo metabolism of kurarinone, a lavandulyl flavanone which is a major constituent of Kushen and a marker compound with many biological activities, using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap- MS). Methods: Six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups. First, kurarinone was suspended in 0.5 % carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC-Na) aqueous solution, and was given to rats (n = 3, 2 mL for each rat) orally at 50 mg/kg. A 2 mL aliquot of 0.5 % CMC-Na aqueous solution was administered to the rats in the control group. Next, urine samples were collected over 0-24 h after the oral administrations and all urine samples were pretreated by a solid phase extraction (SPE) method. Finally, all samples were analyzed by a UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometry coupled with an electrospray ionization source (ESI) that was operated in the negative ionization mode. Results: A total of 11 metabolites, including the parent drug and 10 phase II metabolites in rat urine, were first detected and interpreted based on accurate mass measurement, fragment ions, and chromatographic retention times. The results were based on the assumption that kurarinone glucuronidation was the dominant metabolite that was excreted in rat urine. Conclusion: The results from this work indicate that kurarinone in vivo is typically transformed to nontoxic glucuronidation metabolites, and these findings may help to characterize the metabolic profile of kurarinone.

Amazonian Vegetable Oils and Fats: Fast Typification and Quality Control via Triacylglycerol (TAG) Profiles from Dry Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) Mass Spectrometry Fingerprinting

Amazonian oils and fats display unique triacylglycerol (TAG) profiles and, because of their economic importance as renewable raw materials and use by the cosmetic and food industries, are often subject to adulteration and forgery. Representative samples of these oils (andiroba, Brazil nut, buriti, and passion fruit) and fats (cupuacu, murumuru, and ucuba) were characterized without pre-separation or derivatization via dry (solvent-free) matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Characteristic profiles of TAG were obtained for each oil and tat. Dry MALDI-TOF MS provides typification and direct and detailed information, via TAG profiles, of their variable combinations of fatty acids. A database from spectra could be developed and may be used for their fast and reliable typification, application screening, and quality control.

Enzymatic reaction of the immobilized enzyme on porous silicon studied by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry

Desorption/ionization on silicon mass spectrometry (DIOS-MS) is a matrix-free technique that allows for the direct desorption/ionization of low-molecular-weight compounds with little or no fragmentation of analytes. This technique has a relatively high tolerance for contaminants commonly found in biological samples. DIOS-MS has been applied to determine the activity of immobilized enzymes on the porous silicon surface. Enzyme activities were also monitored with the addition of a competitive inhibitor in the substrate solution. It is demonstrated that this method can be applied to the screening of enzyme inhibitors. Furthermore, a method for peptide mapping analysis by in situ digestion of proteins on the porous silicon surface modified by trypsin, combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-MS has been developed.

Immobilized metal-ion chelating capillary microreactor for peptide mapping analysis of proteins by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry

Peptide mass mapping analysis, utilizing a regenerable enzyme microreactor with metal-ion chelated adsorption of enzyme, combined with matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was developed. Different procedures from the conventional approaches were adopted to immobilize the chelator onto the silica supports, that is, the metal chelating agent of iminodiacetic acid (IDA) was reacted with glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GLYMO) before its immobilization onto the inner wall of the fused-silica capillary pretreated with NH4HF2. The metal ion of copper and subsequently enzyme was specifically adsorbed onto the surface to form the immobilized enzyme capillary microreactor, which was combined with MALDI-TOF-MS to apply for the mass mapping analysis of nL amounts of protein samples. The results revealed that the peptide mapping could routinely be generated from 0.5 pmol protein sample in 15 min at 50degreesC, even 20 fmol cytochrome c could be well digested and detected.

A New Method for Analysis of Disulfide-Containing Proteins by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) Mass Spectrometry

A simple and high-throughput method for the identification of disulfide-containing peptides utilizing peptide-matrix adducts is described. Some commonly used matrices in MALDI mass spectrometry were found to specifically react with sulfhydryl groups within peptide, thus allowing the observation of the peptide-matrix adduct ion [M + n + n' matrix + H](+) or [M + n + n' matrix + Na](+) (n = the number of cysteine residues, n' = 1, 2, ..., n) in MALDI mass spectra after chemical reduction of disulfide-linked peptides. Among several matrices tested, alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA, molecular mass 189 Da) and alpha-cyano-3-hydroxycinnamic acid (3-HCCA) were found to be more effective for MALDI analysis of disulfide-containing peptides/proteins. Two reduced cysteines involved in a disulfide bridge resulted in a mass shift of 189 Da per cysteine, so the number of disulfide bonds could then be determined, while for the other matrices (sinapinic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid), a similar addition reaction could not occur unless the reaction was carried out under alkaline conditions. The underlying mechanism of the reaction of the matrix addition at sulfhydryl groups is proposed, and several factors that might affect the formation of the peptide-matrix adducts were investigated.

Rapid molecular weight determination of recombinant hirudin by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The molecular weight of recombinant hirudin ( rHV-2) was determined rapidly by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of fight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The effects of the three types of matrixes were compared and discussed, alpha-cynao-4-hydroxycinnamic acid was proved to be the best matrix. It showed that MALDI-TOF-MS was superior to the traditional method of molecular weight determination of the biological macromolecules. The mass spectrum data proved that the primary structure of rHV-2 was correct and there was no amino acid deletion, mutation and modification in its expression, refolding and purification.

Analysis of monodispersed polyaniline oligomers by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

Monodispersed polyaniline oligomers was studied by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), It is found that MALDI-TOF-MS is not only a direct, accurate and rapid tool for the analysis of monodispersed polyaniline oligomers, but also a useful technique for the design of synthetic route.

Analysis of poly (arylene phosphonate) cyclic oligomer by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MAIDI-TOF-MS) was used for analysis of poly(arylene phosphonate) cyclic oligomers. A comparison was made by using 1,8,9-dithranol, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and retinoic acid as the matrix. The result showed that the retinoic acid produced the strongest ion signals under the conditions used. Different salts of metals were used as the cationization agents to examine the effect on the cyclic oligomers. It was found that the salts could produce metal-cyclic oligomer cation spectra and lithium was the stronger one than those of silver so, the suitable matrix and cationization agent for the new cyclic oligmer were obtained. They were very effective for the analysis of poly(arylene phosphonate) cyclic oligomer.

Characterization of cyclic arylether ketone (sulfone) containing hexafluoroisopropylidene unit by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The cyclic aryletherketone( sulfone) oligomers containing hexafluoroisopropylidene unit were characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-night mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS) using Na+ and Ag+ as cationization agents. The affinities of cyclic oligomers to the cation were studied. The analysis result showed that 1,8,9-dithranol, in the presence of silver trifluoroacetate, was very effective for the characterization of cyclic arylether ketone ( sulfone) containing hexafluoroisopropylidene unit.

Determination of purity and molecular weight of calmodulin by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The purity and molecular weight of calmodulin have been determined by means of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, and the results have been discussed. The experimental results demonstrate that this method is high sensitive and rapid as compared with other traditional methods.

Application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in determining arginine esterase from snake venom

Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The homogeneities and molecular weights of three arginine esterases from snake venom, which possessing therapeutic use in myocardial infarction, were determined and compared, MALDI-TOF-MS is possessed of high accuracy, high sensitivity and rapidity. MALDI-TOF-MS and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) can provide complementary and confirmatory results information. MALDI-TOF-MS can be directly used as an important method for the purification of snake venom complexes successfully.