Online pharmaceutical process analysis of Chinese medicine using a miniature mass spectrometer: Extraction of active ingredients as an example

The automation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmaceuticals has driven the development of process analysis from offline to online. Most of common online process analytical technologies are based on spectroscopy, making the identification and quantification of specific ingredients still a challenge. Herein, we developed a quality control (QC) system for monitoring TCM pharmaceuticals based on paper spray ionization miniature mass spectrometry (mini-MS). It enabled real-time online qualitative and quantitative detection of target ingredients in herbal extracts using mini-MS without chromatographic separation for the first time. Dynamic changes of alkaloids in Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (Fuzi) during decoction were used as examples, and the scientific principle of Fuzi compatibility was also investigated. Finally, the system was verified to work stably at the hourly level for pilot-scale extraction. This mini-MS based online analytical system is expected to be further developed for QC applications in a wider range of pharmaceutical processes.