Characterization of anti-Coxsackie virus B3 constituents of Radix Astragali by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

To profile the anti-Coxsackie virus B3 constituents of Radix Astragali, an HPLC-DAD-MS(n) analytical method, combined with an in vivo test, has been developed to identify the constituents of the active part, which has been demonstrated to have potency to inhibit the proliferation of virus in cardiac muscle, alleviate infraction in heart and elevate the survival rate of the animal. By comparing their retention time and MS data with those obtained from the authentic compounds and the published data, a total of 19 compounds, including 11 isoflavonoids and eight saponins, were identified, among which one pterocarpane glucoside was reported for the first time. The present study provides an approach to rapidly screening bioactive constituents in traditional Chinese medicines.