Application of LC/MS and ICP/MS for establishing the fingerprint spectrum of the traditional Chinese medicinal preparation Gan‐Lu‐Yin

We developed a method to analyze the fingerprint spectrum qualitatively and quantitatively for the traditional Chinese herbal medicinal preparation Gan‐Lu‐Yin with HPLC combined with photodiode array detection, and MS, and to identify the preparation's 14 main components including baicalin, baicalein, oroxylin A‐7‐ O ‐glucuronide, wogonin‐7‐ O ‐glucuronide, wogonin, and oroxylin A in Radix Scutellariae; naringin and neohesperidin in Aurantii fructus; liquiritigenin, liquiritin, and glycyrrhizic acid in Radix Glycyrrhizae. In LC/UV assay, a Cosmosil 5C18‐MS‐II column was used as the stationary phase, and a gradient of potassium dihydrogen phosphate, ACN, and water as the elute solution. The UV detection wavelengths were 250 and 280 nm. In LC/MS assay, a gradient of phosphoric acid, ACN, and water was used as the elute solution, and electrospray positive ion mode ((+)‐ESI) as the analytic mode. In order to explore the distribution of trace metal elements effectively in Gan‐Lu‐Yin, a microwave digestion method was used for sample treatment, and an inductively coupled plasma MS assay was used to analyze fingerprint spectra of the inorganic metals in Gan‐Lu‐Yin. Combined with fingerprint spectra of organic compounds by LC/UV and LC/MS, it was expected to provide effective quality control in the production of Gan‐Lu‐Yin.