Planta Med 2015; 81 - PG9
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1556240

Structural characterization of monacolin compounds from red yeast rice by liquid chromatography and tandem mass

YH Wang 1, B Avula 1, Z Zhang 1, M Wang 1, S Sagi 1, Z Ali 1, IA Khan 1, 2, 3
  • 1National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
  • 2Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
  • 3Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Monacolin compounds including its acid form such as monacolin K and monacolin K acid are markers of red yeast rice (RYR). With the aim of quality assurance and adulterant assessment, the fragmentation pathways of nine monacolins were investigated using tandem mass spectrometric technique (QToF MS/MS). Nine compounds were classified into three sub-groups according to the substitution at C-8 and whether in acid form at C-1' or forming lactone by cyclization between C-1' and C-5'. The key fragments of three sub-groups were summarized and applied to the identification of monacolin compounds from red yeast rice by UHPLC-QToF MS.