Review Article

A Review on Worldwide Ephedra History and Story: From Fossils to Natural Products Mass Spectroscopy Characterization and Biopharmacotherapy Potential

Table 1

Selected high-resolution MS applications in the characterization of Ephedra species compounds (published in the period 2015–2019).

SourcePartSolventAnalyteMobile phase and gradient programAnalytical methodDetection (nm)Reference

TunisiaAerial parts of E. alata Decne70% EtOHGallic acid, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, rutin, rosmarinic acid, resveratrol, quercetin and kaempferolA: water acidified with formic acid at pH 3; B: acetonitrile acidified with formic acid at pH 3 : 0.01–20 min, 5% B; 20.01–50 min, 5–40% B; 50–55 min, 40–95% B; and 55–60 min 95% BLC-MS280–320[90]
Aerial parts of E. alataEtOH/water (50 : 50 v/v)Quinic acid, gallic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, trans-ferulic acid, catechin, epicatechin, rutin, quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside), apigenin-7-O-glucoside, kaempferol, naringenin, luteolin, cirsilineolThe mobile phase was composed of A (0.1% formic acid in H2O, v/v) and B (0.1% formic acid in methanol, v/v): linear gradient elution: 0–45 min, 10–100% B; 45–55 min, 100% BLC-ESI/MS/MSn280[23]
Aerial parts of E. alata70% MeOH then fractionation with hexane, DCM, EAc BuOH, and waterQuinic acid (1), gallic acid (2), protocatechuic acid
(3), chlorogenic acid (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid) (4), caffeic acid (5), syringic acid
(6), p-coumaric acid (7), trans-ferulic
acid (8), o-coumaric acid (9), transcinnamic
acid (10), 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid (11), 1,3-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (12),
3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (13), 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (14), rosmarinic acid
(15), salvianolic acid (16), (+)-catechin (17), (−)-epicatechin (18), acacetin (19), apigetrin
(apigenin-7-O-glucoside) (20), apigenin (21), quercitrin (quercetin-3-o
rhamnoside) (22), kaempferol (23), cirsilineol
(24), cirsiliol
(25), hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-galactoside) (26), cynaroside
(luteolin-7-O-glucoside) (27), luteolin (28),
Naringenin (29), naringin (naringenin-7-O-rutinoside) (30), quercitrin (quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside) (31), rutin (quercetin-7-O-rutinoside) (32), and silymarin (33)
The mobile phase: A (0.2% acetic acid in 95% water and 5% MeOH) and B (0.2% acetic acid in 50% water and 50% acetonitrile) with a linear gradient elution: 0–45 min, 10–20% B; 45–85 min, 20–55% B; 85–97 min, 55–100% B; 97–110 min, 100% B; the initial conditions were held for 10 min as a re-equilibration stepHPLC-PDA-ESI/MS(1) 240; (2) 272–218; (3) 259–294-220; (4)230–280; (5) 327–245-295; (6) 327–295-245; (7) 324–295-220; (8) 274–220; (9) 322–302–245–218; (10) 230–279; (11) 309–229-298; (12) 322–240-295; (13) 255–356; (14) 355–256; (15) 275–325-230; (16) 347–253-267; (17) 329–295–245–221; (18) 329–290-245; (19) 329–290-245; (20) 212–226–282–328; (21) 336–67; (22) 325–295–245–221; (23) 287–254–309–228; (24) 275–222-215; (25) 275–365; (26) 254–290- 366; (27) 228–288-332; (28) 337–267-225; (29) 287–231; (30) 347–253-266; (31) 344–273-225; (32) 343–247-225; and (33) 331–268[45]
AlgeriaWhole plant E. alata Decne ssp. alenda- Infusion
- Decoction
- 80% EtOH
10 phenolic compounds: 2 myricetin-C-hexoside isomers (1 and 2); biochanin A 7-O-glucoside (Sissotrin) (3); 2 hydroxydaidzein-8-C-glucoside isomers (4 and 5); 5,5′-dihydroxy-methoxy-isoflavone-O-glucoside (6); hydroxydaidzein-8-C-glucoside isomer (7); quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (8); isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside (9); and kaempferol-O-di-deoxyhexoside (10)(A) 0.1% formic acid in water, and (B) acetonitrile: 15% B (0–5 min), 15%–20% B (5–10 min), 20–25% B (10–20 min), 25–35% B (20–30 min), and 35–50% B (30–40 min)LC-DAD-ESI/MSn(1) 291, 340; (2) 290, 340
(3) 255, 320; (4) 262,340
(5) 262,340
; (6) 263,336
(7) 262,340
; (8) 351
(9) 368; and (10) 263,348
[100]
AustriaAerial parts of E. sinicaPET, DCM, EtOAc n-BuOH, EtOH, MeOH, or waterEpigallocatechin-4β-benzylthioether, epigallocatechin-4-benzylthioether stereoisomers, and epicatechin-4β-benzylthioetherA = water, B = acetonitrile.
0 
min: 35% B,
20 
min: 35% B, 30 
min: 45% B, 40 
min: 45% B, 45 
min: 98% B60 
min: S
top; post-
time 15 
min
HPLC and HPLC-MS254[101]
Austria/GermanyAerial parts of 8 Ephedra spp.HCl (6.2%, v/v)Ephedrine and pseudoephedrineAcetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, and water (38 : 5:57, v/v/v)UPLC-UV208[102]
PalestineAerial parts of E. alataEtOH, EtOH (80%), and waterLuteolin-7-O-glucuronide, myricetin-3-rhamnosideThe start was a 100% (A) that descended to 70% (A) in 40 minutes, then to 40% (A) in 20 minutes, and finally to 10% (A) in 2 minutes and stayed there for 6 minutes and then back to the initial conditions in 2 minutesHPLC/PDA and HPLC/MS350[41]
IranGreen stems from E. majorMeOH (80%)EphedrineA mixture of 0/1% phosphoric acid (pH 4), 25 mM SDS, and 40% acetonitrile (10 : 1 v/v)HPLC210[42]
PakistanAerial plant of E. intermedia70% EtOH and MeOH 70%Ephedrine and pseudoephedrineBuffer solution of H3PO4 at 0.25 M (pH 5.3), methanol, and acetonitrile in ratio 1 : 1: 8HPLC210[103]
KoreaAerial parts of E. intermedia30% EtOHEphedrine and pseudoephedrine60% solvent A (0–25 min), 60–40% solvent A (25–35 min), 40% solvent A (35–40 min), 40–20% solvent A (40–50 min), and 20% solvent A (50–60 min)HPLC-UVD210 and 254[104]
E. sinicaDistilled water for 22 h at 95 °CEphedrine (1), pseudoephedrine (2), rhein (3), aloe-emodin (4), emodin (5), chrysophanol (6), and physcion (7)-For (1) and (2) the mixtures of HPLC-grade H2O buffered with 25 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (solvent A) and acetonitrile (AcCN, solvent B)
-For (3), (4), (5), (6), and (7) the mixtures of H2O,
AcCN, and phosphoric acid (850 : 
150 : 
1) for 20 min
- For (1) and (2): 60% solvent
A for 40 
min
HPLC(1) 215; (2) 215
(3) 254; (4) 254
(5) 254; (6) 254, and (7) 254
[105]
Stems of E. intermedia70% EtOHEphedrine, pseudoephedrine, N-methylephedrine, N-methylpseudoephedrine, norephedrine, and norpseudoephedrineIsocratic gradient 25 mM SDS in water (A) and acetonitrile (B)HPLC-UV215[106]
JapanE. sinicaWater at 95°CSyringin; kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside 7-O-glucoside; isovitexin 2″-O-rhamnoside; cinnamic acid; 6-hydroxykynurenic acid; 6-methoxykynurenic acid0.1% formic acid in water (A) and 0.1% formic acid in methanol (B): 5% B (0–10 min), 5–75% B (10–70 min), 75–100% B (70–80 min), 100% B (80–90 min)LC-PDA210[107]
E. sinicaHot water at 95 °C for 1 hVicenin-2 and isovitexin 2″-O-rhamnoside0.1% formic acid (HCOOH) in water (A) − 0.1% HCOOH in MeOH (B) 5% B (0 min) ⟶ 50% B (40 min) ⟶ 100% B (50 min) ⟶ 100% B (55 min) ⟶ 5% B (55.1 min) ⟶ 5% B (60 min)LC/Orbitrap MS200–400[108]
TaiwanAerial parts of EphedraBoilingEphedrine, amygdalin, glycyrrhizic acid, and carvedilol5 mM NH4CH3CO2 (0.1% formic acid) as the aqueous phase (A) and 100% methanol (0.1% formic acid) as the organic phase (B); 20–70% B at 0–1 min, 70–90% B at 1–4 min, 90% B at 4–9 min, 90–20% B 9–10 min, 20% B at 10–13 minUHPLC–MS/MS[109]
ChinaAerial parts of EphedraWaterNorephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and methylephedrineA mixture of KH2PO4 (20 mmol/L)-acetonitrile (96 : 4, v/v)HPLC210[110]
Ephedra herbACN-ammonium acetateMethylephedrine, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrineAcetonitrile-ammonium acetate (pH 5.0; 0.195 M) (95 : 5, v/v)HPLC208[111]
Stems of E. sinicaEtOH, EtOAc, and BuOH(S)–N-((1R,2S)-1-hydroxy-1-phenylpropan-2-yl)-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxamide (1) and (3R)-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-3-phenylpropanoic acid (2)∗CH3OH/H2O (23%, v/v) (1)
∗ 25% MeOH in H2O, containing 0.1% formic acid (2)
LC/MSD280[112]