Natural products, the underlying active components and their use in traditional medicine are of increased interest in the field of pharmaceutical research. The naturally occurring active ingredients are ideal chemical starting structures to improve upon in the pharmaceutical drug development process and consequently half of all currently approved drugs in the US are based on natural products. It is therefore not surprising that natural product analysis is a field of major interest world wide. Here, we present a simple example of the added benefits of mass spectrometry in typical natural product analysis workflows based on an alcoholic extract of nutmeg.
The expression compact mass spectrometer (CMS) is a novel high performance, easy-to-use single quadrupole mass spectrometer with enhanced scan speed and the ability for on-line polarity switching and in-source fragmentation.
Analysis of the active components of the cannabis sativa plant is required both for law enforcement where these compounds are illegal and also as a tool for product control and optimization in the increasing number of legal markets for cannabis plant products. Whenever simple, unequivocal and legally defensible analysis methods for the detection and quantification of plant metabolites are required, mass spectrometry is the detector of choice.
Here, we present two simple workflows for the analysis of cannabinoids such as the naturally occuring cannabinol (CBN), the psychoactive ingredient of cannabis sativa, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and the degradation product cannabidiol (CBD). Both TLC/FIA/CMS for qualitative detection of cannabinoids, as well as HPLC/CMS for the quantitative determination of THC demonstrate the added benefit of compact mass spectrometry in the analysis of natural products.
With decades of mass spectrometry and chemistry expertise, Advion Interchim Scientific has produced a family of compact mass spectrometers designed for the chemist. The affordability, small size and ease of use make them ideal for use directly at the chemist’s bench, giving immediate answers and informed decisions instead of waiting.
The Advion Interchim Scientific expression® compact mass spectrometer (CMS) is a fast and easy analytical tool for the organic chemist. Ideal for fast reaction monitoring, the expression® CMS features a single quadrupole that can adapt to multiple ionization sources in seconds, including both ESI and APCI. The mass spectrometer works in a variety of applications, including food and beverage, pharmaceutical, biomedical, peptides and proteins, drug discovery and more. The expression® CMS offers a variety of novel sampling techniques, including:
- Direct mass analysis of TLC plates in 30 seconds at the push of a button with Plate Express™
- One-touch analysis of solids and liquid samples with the ASAP® probe
- LC/CMS
- Many more options and configurations to suit your needs
Learn more about the different sample techniques available with the expression® CMS, including fast assay methods for liquids, solids, gases, and even air-sensitive compounds.
Fill out the form to download the full expression® CMS brochure now.
Direct sample analysis is possible via an Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe (ASAP®) combined with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) on a compact mass spectrometer (CMS). This technique allows for the rapid investigation (<30 sec) of material suspected of containing THC/cannabinoids.
Regardless of the legal status of cannabis and its chemical compounds, both the quality control in legal markets as well as the law enforcement of it’s illegal status require simple, unequivocal and legally defendable analysis methods for the detection and quantification of its major chemical compounds.
Whenever a detector of high selectivity and sensitivity is required, a mass spectrometry based analysis workflow is usually the method of choice and we here demonstrate the analysis of delta9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Canabidiol (CBD) and Canabinol (CBN) utilizing a novel compact mass spectrometer (expression-S, Advion, NY) coupled to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) or thin layer chromatography (TLC).
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