OBJECTIVETo establish an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass (UPLC-TQ-MS) for determination of four terpene lactones.

METHODChromatographic separation was carried out on a ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.1 mm x 100 mm, 1.7 microm) with isocratic elution of 70% methanol at a flow rate of 0.4 mL x min(-1), the column temperature was set at 30 degrees C; Waters Xevo TQ worked in multiple reaction monitoring mode.

RESULTAll calibration curves were linear (r > 0.990 3) over the tested ranges. The average recoveries ranged from 98.83% to 103.9% with RSD value below 3.0%. The contents of total terpene lactones in Ginkgo biloba leaves were significantly different in different ages. The contents in the leaves of young ginkgo tree were higher than that in old tree.

CONCLUSIONThe method was simple and fast with high precision, sensitivity and repeatability, which can be used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of terpene lactones in G. biloba leaves.