Ultrasound assisted extraction and quantification of targeted bioactive compounds of Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) by UHPLC-MS/MS MRM tandem mass spectroscopy.

Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola) is a green leafy vegetable rich in phytochemicals mainly including triterpenes and caffeoylquinic acids. Fresh leaves of this plant are consumed in salads and beverages in a variety of cuisines around the world. This is a well-known functional food for its neuroprotective and cognition enhancing properties in traditional societies. HPLC-DAD at lower wavelengths commonly used to identify and quantify major triterpenes of C. asiatica extracts, but associated with few drawbacks. This paper discusses a specific, sensitive and validated method developed based on UHPLC-ESI-MS-MS-MRM tandem mass spectroscopy for targeted quantification of C. asiatica bioactive compounds. The validated method enabled a precise estimation of major triterpenes and chlorogenic acid in C. asiatica in a shorter time. The findings of this study will contribute to the information on chemotype variation of C. asiatica plant grown under unique geographical, environmental and climatic conditions in New Zealand.