Analysis of secondary plant metabolites by indirect desorption electrospray ionization imaging mass spectrometry.

Secondary metabolites in plant material can be imaged in a simple and robust way by creating an imprint of the plant material on a porous Teflon surface. The Teflon surface serves to extract compounds from the plant material for enhanced desorption electrospray ionization imaging analysis, while maintaining the spatial information of the sample. The method, which remedies for limitations in mass spectrometry imaging of compounds embedded in plant material, was demonstrated on leaves and petals of Hypericum perforatum and leaves of Datura stramonium.