Complexation of antibiotic levomycetin with [alpha]-hederin and hederasaponin C under the conditions of electrospray ionization

The complexation of antibiotic levomycetin (chloroamphenicol) with triterpene glycoside [alpha]-hederin and hederasaponin C was investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The glycosides form complexes with levomycetin in the molar ratio 1 : 1. The molecular complex of [alpha]-hederin is more stable than the one of hederasaponin C because of the presence of a free carboxyl group in its aglycone fragment. The carboxyl group of hederasaponin C is involved into the formation of a glycosidic bond with the trisaccharide unit and is not available for complex formation.