Ultra high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of multiple bioactive constituents in fruit extracts of Myristica fragrans and its marketed polyherbal formulations using a polarity switching technique

Fruits of Myristica fragrans Houtt. are the source of two valuable spices: nutmeg and mace, traditionally used for its flavoring and medicinal properties and found as an ingredient in many marketed polyherbal formulations and food products. In this study, a sensitive and efficient ultra high performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the rapid determination of 16 bioactive constituents in different parts of the fruit of M. fragrans and its marketed polyherbal formulations using a polarity switching technique. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Aquity UPLC BEH C18 column in 9.4 min. Quantitative analysis was performed using multiple reaction monitoring mode with continuous polarity switching in a single analysis. The developed method was found to be accurate with overall recovery in the range from 95.95 to 102.07% (RSD ≤ 1.91%), precise (RSD ≤ 1.98%), and linear (r(2) ≥ 0.9992) over the concentration range of 0.1-200 ng/mL. Quantitative analysis indicated that the total content of the 16 bioactive constituents was highest in the mace of M. fragrans. Thus, this rapid and sensitive method could be utilized as a promising reference method for the quality control of M. fragrans and its marketed herbal formulations/food products.