Identification and quantification of eight flavones in root and shoot tissues of the medicinal plant Huang-qin (Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi) using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and mass spectrometric detection

A method of analysis of eight flavones using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-diode array detection (DAD)-mass spectrometry (MS) in root and aerial tissues of the medicinal plant Scutellaria baicalensis was developed. The identity of the analytes was confirmed using retention time, UV–vis and mass spectral comparisons to commercial standards. Both UV–vis and mass spectral patterns were characterized for glycosylated flavones. Two additional flavone glycosides were tentatively identified as chrysin-7-glucuronide and wogonoside, but not quantified. Greenhouse and in vitro-grown tissues were analyzed with flavone concentrations ranges of 0.14–150 and 0.030–1.7 μg/mg for greenhouse root and shoot tissue, respectively, and 0.0068–6.4 and 0.082–1.5 μg/mg for in vitro-grown roots and shoots, respectively.