Profiling and Characterization of Polyphenol Polymers from Cinnamon Using an Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer

Type 2 diabetes is the most common metabolic disease worldwide. Although the prevention and control of it remains unclear, there is strong evidence that dietary factors play a role in the onset of this disease. Previous studies have indicated that cinnamon may mimic insulin effects and thus may improve glucose uptake.1–2 Considering the complex composition of cinnamon, it is important to be able to isolate and characterize the possible active components in it. A range of reports have been devoted to the studies of this topic. However, most work has been mainly focused on the studies of monomer and dimers. The study of trimer or even larger compounds using on-line LC/MSn approach has not been reported. The fast cycle time and excellent MSn sensitivity of the LCQ Fleet ion trap mass spectrometer provide enhanced analytical throughput for complex natural product analysis. In this report, profiling and structural elucidation of polyphenol polymers, the possible active compounds in cinnamon, are carried out using an LC/MSn methodology using the LCQ Fleet ion trap mass spectrometer. The application of pulsed-Q dissociation (PQDTM) and high resolution isolation (HRI) facilitates the analysis of this complex sample.