Study of Aconitum Alkaloids using Mass Spectrometry

The analysis and determination of aconitum alkaloids by electron impact, fast atom bombardment, chemical inoization, electrospray ionization, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization is reviewed, the fragment patterns of alkaloids are compared. The recent results for the analyis of aconitine-type alkaloids in several Aconitum plants by ESI-MS n are also discussed, which indicats ESI-MS n is a promising tool for the analysis of small molecules such as alkaloids as well as biomolecules. Our results also suggest that lipo-alkaloids may exist in some other Aconitum plants.