Abstract: To establish an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of 8 major compounds (Ginsenoside Rb₃, GinsenosideRc, Ginsenoside Rb₁, Ginsenoside Rb₂, Ginsenoside Rd, Ginsenoside Re, Ginsenoside Rg₂, Pseudoginsenoside F11) in Panax quinquefolium. Using Waters BEH C₁₈ column (2.1 mm×100 mm,1.7 μm) with a gradient solvent system of acetonitrile0.1% formic acid in water as mobile phases, flow rate:0.25 mL/min, column temperature:35 ℃. Multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) mode was used as detection mode with electro-spray ionization (ESI) source. The retention time and detected relative abundance of ion pairs were used for qualitative determination, the detected peak areas of ion pairs were used for quantitative determination. Under the optimized chromatographic conditions, good separation for 8 targeted compounds were obtained. Satisfactory linearity was achieved with wide linear range and fine determination coefficient (r>0.999), the over-all recoveries were ranged from 95.65%~103.34% with the RSD ranging from 0.38%~4.33%.It is the report about simultaneous analysis of 8 major ginsenosides components in P.quinquefolium by using UPLC-MS/MS method, which affords highly sensitive, specific, speedy and efficient method for quality control of P.quinquefolium.

Key words: Panax quinquefolium, UPLC-MS/MS, ginsenosides, quality control