Determination of 6 adrenal corticosteroids in Chinese patent drugs or functional foods by HPLC-MS

Objective To establish a method for determining 6 adrenal corticosteroids which may be added illegally to Chinese patent drugs or functional foods.Methods HPLC-MS was used after a serial extraction and separation procedure.HPLC conditions:C18-column at 30 ℃,eluting with acetonitrile-water(40∶60) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min,detecting at 240 nm wavelength,10 μL injection volume;ESI-MS data was obtained in positive ion mode.Results 6 adrenal corticosteroids(dexamethasone acetate,prednisolone acetate,hydrocortisone acetate,prednisone acetate,cortisone acetate,betamethasone) were accurately identified simultaneously.Conclusion The method was accurate and suitable for determining 6 adrenal corticosteroids which may be added illegally to Chinese patent drugs or functional foods.