Diagnostic Fragment-Ion-Based for Rapid Identification of Chlorogenic Acids Derivatives in Inula cappa Using UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

Inula cappa (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) DC has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat malaria, dysentery, and hepatitis. Previous studies have shown that chlorogenic acid is the effective ingredient of plants in this family. And the research of the chlorogenic acid in Inula cappa will help to further improve the effective resource utilization rate of this plant. Therefore, it is necessary to establish an accurate method to characterize the chlorogenic acid components in Inula cappa. In this study, a simple, fast, and sensitive UHPLC-Q-Exactive Orbitrap mass spectrometry method was established, which can simultaneously analyze known and unknown ingredients in a short time (within 30 minutes) in Inula cappa. According to the diagnosis fragmentation ions, retention time, and bibliography, 68 chlorogenic acid derivatives were identified in Inula cappa. The results of this experiment lay the foundation for the active substances and quality control of Inula cappa and provide a theoretical basis for whether Inula cappa can be an alternative to the endangered wild medicinal materials of the same family.