Comprehensive profiling and characterization of coumarins from roots, stems, leaves, branches, and seeds of Chimonanthus nitens Oliv. using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry combined with modified mass defect filter

Chimonanthus nitens Oliv. (CNO), having been studied and developed as the tea beverages, tea raw materials and preparations, an unique species in China, have been extensively used for treating colds and influenza for centuries. In the present study, a method based on the modified mass defect filter (MDF) was firstly developed and validated for comprehensive profiling of coumarins in the different parts of CNO via ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS). The five-point screening approach based on MDF and the visual isotopic ion technique could rapidly screen the interested precursor ions. The fragmentation behavior of coumarins was systematically investigated and a total of 42 coumarins including 27 potential new ones were unambiguously or tentatively identified in the CNO. Collectively, the results obtained in the present work may provide useful information for future utilization of CNO.