HILIC-UPLC-MS/MS combined with hierarchical clustering analysis to rapidly analyze and evaluate nucleobases and nucleosides in Ginkgo biloba leaves.

Ginkgo biloba leaf extract has been widely used in dietary supplements and more recently in some foods and beverages. In addition to the well-known flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones, G. biloba leaves are also rich in nucleobases and nucleosides. To determine the content of nucleobases and nucleosides in G. biloba leaves at trace levels, a reliable method has been established by using hydrophilic interaction ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-UPLC-TQ-MS/MS) working in multiple reaction monitoring mode. Eleven nucleobases and nucleosides were simultaneously determined in seven min. The proposed method was fully validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, and repeatability, as well as recovery. Furthermore, hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) was performed to evaluate and classify the samples according to the contents of the eleven chemical constituents. The established approach could be helpful for evaluation of the potential values as dietary supplements and the quality control of G. biloba leaves, which might also be utilized for the investigation of other medicinal herbs containing nucleobases and nucleosides.