Analysis of lignan constituents from Schisandra chinensis by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry

An electrospray high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry interface coupled with a photodiode-array detector has been applied successfully to the identification of a number of lignan constituents from an ethanol extract of the fruits of Schisandra chinensis Baill. A total of fifteen peaks were identified, six of them unambiguously identified as schisandrin (1), schisantherin A (19), schisantherin B (20), schisanhenol (4), deoxyschisandrin (3) and gamma-schisandrin (11), based on their abundant [M+H](+), [M+Na](+) ions, UV spectra and retention times, compared with those data of reference compounds. Another nine peaks were tentatively identified, based on their intense [M+H](+) and [M+Na](+) ions and UV spectra.