Identification of the chemical constituents in the leaves and twigs of Nerium oleander by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Abstract

Rationale: Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae) is a medium-sized evergreen flowering tree and is distributed widely in China. Various parts of N. oleander have been used medicinally and are reported to possess a wide range of biological activities, including cardiotonic, cytotoxic, and central nervous system depressant activities. However, there is a lack of in-depth understanding of the chemical constituents in various parts of N. oleander.

Methods: An ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) method was developed for the qualitative analysis of the chemical constituents in the leaves and twigs of N. oleander.

Results: As a result, 50 compounds, including phenolic derivatives, flavonoids, cardenolides, and triterpenoids, were identified in N. oleander. Among them, 50 compounds were identified in the leaves of N. oleander, whereas 25 compounds were identified in the twigs of N. oleander. It is noteworthy that 16 phenolic derivatives and 4 flavonoids were first detected in this plant and 10 cardenolides were deduced as potential new compounds.

Conclusions: This study provided an effective method for comprehensively analyzing the complex system of medicinal plants and enriched the chemical compositions in N. oleander.