Laser desorption/fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry: digoxin, digitoxin, and their reduced and sugar-hydrolyzed metabolites.

Mass spectra of digoxin and digitoxin (the most widely prescribed drugs for treatment of congestive heart failure) and a complete set of their 14 dihydro- and sugar-hydrolyzed metabolites have been obtained via laser desorption/ionization with a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (LD/FT/ICR) mass spectrometer. The most intense peak is typically the pseudomolecular [M + K]+ ion, but fragment ions corresponding to loss of 1-3 sugars and hydroxyls are also observed. LD/FT/ICR mass spectra for all 16 compounds were produced with a single set of sample and spectrometer parameters. No matrix peaks are present. Finally, LD/FT/ICR provides dynamic mass accuracy within approximately 5 ppm throughout a mass range of 404 less than m/z less than 819.