Rapid characterization and pharmacokinetic study of aristolochic acid analogues using ion mobility mass spectrometry

Aristolochic acid analogues (AAAs), naturally existing in herbal Aristolochia and Asarum genera, were once widely used in traditional pharmacopeias because of their anti-inflammatory properties, but lately they were identified as potential nephrotoxins and mutagens. A method for rapid characterization of AAAs in serum was developed using ion mobility spectrometry coupled with mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). Five AAAs, containing four aristolochic acids and one aristolactam, were separated and identified within milliseconds. AAAs were separated in gas phase based on the difference of their ion mobility ( K 0 ), and then identified based on their K 0 values, m / z , and product ions from MS/MS. Quantitative analysis of AAAs was performed using an internal standard with a satisfactory sensitivity. Limits of detection (signal-to-noise = 3) and quantification (signal-to-noise = 10) were 1–5 ng/mL and 3–8 ng/mL, respectively. The method was validated and successfully applied to the pharmacokinetics study of AAAs in rats, offering a promising way for fast screening and evaluation of AAAs in biological samples. Graphical abstract