Qualitative Analysis of the Chemical Constituents of Nymphaea Candida C. Presl Base on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS Technology

OBJECTIVE To identify the chemical constituents of Nymphaea candida C. Presl by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS).

METHODS A Thermo Hypersil GOLD aQ chromatographic(2.1 mm×150 mm, 1.9 μm) column was used, with 0.1% aqueous formic acid solution-methanol as the mobile phase for gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.3 mL·min⁻¹, the column temperature was 35 ℃, and electrospray ionization source was applied with scanning under both positive and negative ion modes.

RESULTS By comparison with reference standards, accurate molecular masses from MS¹, and fragment information from MS², a total of 72 chemical constituents were identified from Nymphaea candida C. Presl, including 22 organic acids, 20 flavonoids, 10 hydrolyzable tannins, 4 fatty acids, 3 phenylpropanoids, 3 coumarins, 3 phenols, 2 terpenoids and 2 nucleosides. Active ingredients such as corilagin, brevifolin carboxylic acid and gentiopicrin were also detected in Nymphaea candida C. Presl.

CONCLUSION This study systematically elucidates the main chemical constituents of Nymphaea candida C. Presl using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS technology. The identification results demonstrate that the flowers of Nymphaea candida C. Presl contain a variety of bioactive chemical constituents, which provides a research basis for its subsequent efficacy research and the development of corresponding functional products.