Validation of analytical procedures using HPLC-ELSD to determine six sesquiterpene lactones in Eremanthus species.

Eremanthus species display sesquiterpene lactones with therapeutic potential. We are proposing the development of a new analytical method that has been completely validated to qualify Eremanthus species and its main lactones in raw material using HPLC-ELSD. For the sample preparation, 10.0 mg of powdered Eremanthus leaves was extracted with a 5 mL MeOH/H2O (9:1 v/v) solution containing scopoletin at 140 µg/mL as the internal standard. For the separation of eight compounds, six of which were lactones, one internal (IS) and one secondary standard were performed utilizing monolithic columns with a nonlinear gradient. The selectivity, stability, precision and matrix effects parameters showed values of RSD of  0.9987. The limits of detection and quantitation ranged from 2.00 to 6.79 µg/mL and from 6.00 to 20.40 µg/mL, respectively. Assessing the robustness study, this method can be used in inter-laboratory studies. Using the HPLC-ELSD method, six sesquiterpene lactones including 4β,5-dihydro-2′,3′-dihydroxy-15-deoxy-goyazensolide, goyazensolide, 4β,5-dihydro-2′,3′-epoxy-15-deoxy-goyazensolide, centratherin, 4β,5-dihydro-15-deoxy-goyazensolide and lychnofolide, were detected and quantified from distinct Eremanthus species, which were collected in different regions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.