Improved method for extraction and LC-MS analysis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their N-oxides in honey: application to Echium vulgare honeys

A method for analyzing honey samples was developed that enabled the simultaneous detection and identification of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their N-oxides. Honey samples were treated with methanol or dilute sulfuric acid and then centrifuged to remove insoluble material. Subsequent strong cation exchange, solid-phase extraction of the supernatant provided a fraction that was analyzed for the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their N-oxides using high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The procedure was validated using extracts of Echium plantagineum and authenticated standards of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and their N-oxides from other plant sources. Of several variations of the solid-phase extraction method assessed in this study, the best combination for generic use involved the dilution of honey with 0.05 M sulfuric acid and the subsequent application of the centrifuged solution to solid-phase extraction columns at the rate of a maximum of 10 g of honey per solid-phase extraction column. The method was applied to the analysis of nine floral honeys, five of which were attributed by the apiarist to Echium vulgare. Seven of the honey samples were positive for pyrrolizidine alkaloids and N-oxides characteristic of E. vulgare.