Contribution of Mass Spectrometry to the Study of Antimalarial Agents

Abstract

Mass spectrometry (MS) has become a powerful analytical tool for qualitative and quantita‐ tive applications, providing information about the structure and purity of compounds, and also about the chemical composition of complex samples. The most recent applications of mass spectrometry are oriented towards biochemical appli‐ cations such as proteome, metabolome and drug discovery. During the last decade, mass spectrometry has progressed rapidly and an evolution has been observed in the type of ap‐ plications, software and equipments. Atmospheric pressure ionization sources are now used, an analyser based on a new concept (the orbitrap) was recently developed, existing ones were modified, and new hybrid instruments were developed using combinations of different analysers, depending on applications. One of the major trends was the transition to high resolution/accurate mass analysis, made routine by new MS instruments. The use of separation techniques as gas chromatography (GC), liquid chromatography (LC) and capil‐ lary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry, expanded the interest in this methodology. In this chapter are presented general aspects related with characteristics of mass spectrome‐ try equipments. The contribution of this technique to new discoveries concerning one of the major infectious diseases in man, malaria, is also discussed.