Simultaneous determination of myriocin-like long-chain bases in Cordyceps by HPLC-UV with pre-column derivatization

Abstract

Determination of myriocin-like long-chain bases (MLBs) is important for physiological and pharmacological studies of Cordyceps. Herein, a simple and sensitive reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method, based on the pre-column derivatization with O-phthalaldehyde, was developed for the simultaneous determination of four MLBs, namely myriocin, phytosphingosine, sphingosine and sphinganine in Cordyceps. The chromatographic and derivatization conditions were intensively optimized, and the structures of the derivatives were confirmed by mass spectra. The developed method was applied for the analysis of four MLBs in C. sinensis, C. militaris, C. cicadae and C. gunnii and cultured C. cicadae, which also could be used for the fast determination of the MLBs in pharmaceutical products and biological fluids.