Automatic analytical approach for the determination of 12 illicit drugs and nicotine metabolites in wastewater using on-line SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS

In this study,we developed a novel on-line solid phase extraction(SPE)-ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS)-based analytical method for simultaneously quantifying 12 illicit drugs and metabolites(methamphetamine,amphetamine,morphine,codeine,6-monoacetylmorphine,benzoylecgonine,3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine,3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine,cocaine,ketamine,norketamine,and methcathinone)and cotinine(COT)in wastewater samples.The analysis was performed by loading 2 m L of the sample onto an Oasis hydrophilic-lipophilic balance cartridge and using a cleanup step(5%methanol)to eliminate interference with a total run time of 13 min.The isotope-labeled internal standard method was used to quantify the target substances and correct for unavoidable losses and matrix effects during the on-line SPE process.Typical analytical characteristics used for method validation were sensitivity,linearity,precision,repeatability,recovery,and matrix effects.The limit of detection(LOD)and limit of quantification(LOQ)of each target were set at 0.20 ng/L and 0.50 ng/L,respectively.The linearity was between 0.5 ng/L and250 ng/L,except for that of COT.The intra-and inter-day precisions were<10.45%and 25.64%,respectively,and the relative recovery ranged from 83.74%to 162.26%.The method was used to analyze various wastewater samples from 33 cities in China,and the results were compared with the experimental results of identical samples analyzed using off-line SPE.The difference rate was between 19.91%and-20.44%,and the error range could be considered acceptable.These findings showed that on-line SPE is a suitable alternative to off-line SPE for the analysis of illicit drugs in samples.

Analysis of isoquinoline alkaloids from Mahonia leschenaultia and Mahonia napaulensis roots using UHPLC-Orbitrap-MSn and UHPLC-QqQ LIT-MS/MS

Mahonia leschenaultia（ML） and Mahonia napaulensis（MN） are less known and unexplored medicinal plants of the family Berberidaceae. They are used by the Todas of Nilgiris in their religious and medical practices but chemically less identified. Hence, we decided to do extensive phytochemical analysis to explore the potential of these plant extracts. An ultrahigh performance electrospray tandem mass spectrometry（UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS）method was successfully developed for qualitative analysis of the bioactive components in Mahonia species using Orbitrap Velos Pro mass spectrometer. Sixteen compounds were identified by comparison of their retention times and mass spectra（MS） with authentic standards and reported literature. Multi-stage mass spectra（MS（2-8）） for the identification of protoberberine and aporphine alkaloids showed the sequential expulsion of all the substituents attached with their basic skeleton followed by CO loss. Eight of the identified compounds（berberine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, magnoflorine, isocorydine, glaucine, tetrahydropalmatine and tetrahydroberberine） were simultaneously determined by another UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS method under the multiple reactions monitoring（MRM） mode quantitatively using triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer. The analytical method was validated for 8 bioactive compounds with overall recovery in the range98.5%-103.6%（RSD≤2.2%）, precise（RSD≤2.07%） and linear（r≥0.9995） over the concentration range of 0.5-1000 ng/mL and successfully applied in ML and MN roots, which suggests the suitability of the proposed approach for the routine analysis of Mahonia species and their quality control.

Induction of apoptosis in leukemic cells by the alkaloid extract of garden cress(Lepidium sativum L.)

Objective: Garden cress(Lepidium sativum L.) is an important herb in traditional medicine used to improve production of breast milk in women and semen in men. In the present research the authors evaluated its ability to destroy leukemic cancer(Jurkat E6-1) cells, using the alkaloid extract of this plant.Methods: Constituents of the alkaloid extract were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry(GC–MS) and their cytotoxicity in leukemic cancer cells and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) was assessed. Cell death via apoptosis was confirmed by DNA laddering, caspase-3 activity,annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and mitochondrial toxicity assays. The specific course of gene activation in treated cells was determined through quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qPCR).Results: GC–MS analysis identified six alkaloids and proto-alkaloids, namely, benzyl isothiocyanate(1),2-ethoxy-4 H-3,1-benzoxazin-4-one(2),(4 R)-2-(2-aminophenyl)-4-phenyloxazoline(3), 5-acetyl-1,2-di hydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-4-phenyl-3-pyridinecarbonitrile(4), benzo[b][1,8]-naphthyridin-5(10 H)-on e,2,4,7-trimethyl(5) and 1,4-diaminoanthraquinone(6), in the alkaloid extract of L. sativum. Of these,compound 1 was previously identified in the seeds of L. sativum. Exposure to the alkaloid extract caused death of Jurkat E6-1 cells, with median lethal concentration(LC50) of 75.25 mg/mL. However, the alkaloid extract also showed a nontoxic and proliferative(1.6-fold) effect in healthy PBMCs. Further experiments performed with Jurkat cells at LC50 and sub-LC50 doses demonstrated DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3 and time-dependant phosphatidylserine translocation(apoptosis) from inner to outer cell membranes. Cell toxicity and assessment of adenosine triphosphate level, together with using qPCR to evaluate expression profile of major apoptosis genes, revealed that apoptosis may be induced by disruption in the mitochondrial outer membrane potential, through activation of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways in Jurkat cells.Conclusion: The ability of the alkaloid extract of L. sativum seeds to induce apoptosis indicates a potential pharmacological use in cancer chemotherapy. The separation of individual active compounds and further in-depth exploration of the molecular mechanism of apoptosis may lead to novel chemotherapeutic compounds in our future antineoplastic research.

Cytochrome P450 BM3 of Bacillus megaterium-A possible endosulfan biotransforming gene

Computing chemistry was applied to understand biotransforrnation mechanism of an organochlorine pesticide, endosulfan. The stereo specific metabolic activity of human CYP-2B6 （cytochrome P450） on endosulfan has been well demonstrated. Sequence and structural similarity search revealed that the bacterium Bacillus megaterium encodes CYP-BM3, which is similar to CYP-2B6. The functional similarity was studied at organism level by batch-scale studies and it was proved that B. megaterium could metabolize endosulfan to endosulfan sulfate, as CYP-2B6 does in human system. The gene expression analyses also confirmed the possible role of CYP-BM3 in endosulfan metabolism. Thus, our results show that the protein structure based in-silico approach can help us to understand and identify microbes for remediation strategy development. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report which has extrapolated the bacterial gene for endosulfan biotransformation through in silico prediction approach for metabolic gene identification.