Multiple-Reaction Monitoring Tandem Mass Method for Determination of Phenolics and Water-Soluble Vitamins in Eccoilopus formosanus

This study established a validated method for the quantitative and qualitative determination of eight signature compounds in Eccoilopus formosanus. We used multiple-reaction monitoring scanning for quantification, and switched the electrospray ion source polarity between positive and negative modes in a single chromatographic run. The precursor-to-product ion transitions were m/z 355/163, m/z 181/163, m/z 265/122, m/z 269/117, m/z 170/152, m/z 377.2/180.7, m/z 169/124.8 and m/z 193/134 for chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, thiamine, apigenin, pyridoxamin, riboflavin, gallic acid and ferulic acid, respectively. The developed method was also validated for accuracy, precision and limit of quantification. In this method, eight compounds were quantified with correlation coefficients of greater than 0.995. A high recovery (81.5–94.1%) and good reproducibility was obtained for five phenolics and three vitamins with the relative standard deviation, ranging from 1.2 to 3.5%. This method may be applied to the determination of both phenolics and water-soluble vitamins in cereal grain. The results may suggest that the extract of E. formosanus could be a good source of bioactive phytochemicals.