Application of ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction followed by rapid resolution LC-ESI/MS to chromone analysis from radix saposhnikoviae

Abstract

Ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction (ILUAE) was successfully applied to the extraction of the four chromones (prim-O-glucosylcimifugin, cimifugin, 5-O-methylvisammioside, and sec-O-glucosylhamaudol) from Saposhnikovia divaricata (Radix Saposhnikoviae) for the first time. A series of l-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium ILs differing in anion and cation compositions was evaluated for extraction efficiency, and [C3MIM]Br was selected as the optimal solvent. In addition, ultrasound extraction parameters were optimized, and the chromones were directly quantified and analyzed by rapid resolution liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (RRLC-ESI/MS). The optimal conditions were as follows: 0.4 M concentration of [C3MIM]Br, 20:1 solvent to solid ratio, and ultrasonic time, temperature, and frequency of 5 min, 40 °C, and 50 kHz, respectively. This approach obtained the highest extraction yield of 10.188 ± 0.473 mg g ⁻¹ for total chromones. Compared with regular UAE, the proposed approach exhibited a higher efficiency (61.56% increase) and shorter extraction time (nine times shorter). Also, ILUAE was an efficient, rapid, and simple sample preparation technique for extraction of chromones, and the established RRLC-DAD method could serve as a rapid and effective technique for extracting chromones from Radix Saposhnikoviae.