Objective: To establish an UPLC-Q-TOF method for the determination of 8 kinds of chemical medicines illegally added in traditional Chinese medicines for relieving cough and asthma. Method: UPLC-Q-TOF and MS mode was adopted to perform the quantitative determination with the Waters Acquity BEH C18 column (2.1 mm ×100 mm

1.7 μm)

methanol-10 mmol ·L-1 ammonium formate (containing 0.1% formic acid) for the gradient elution

and the flow rate was 0.4 mL ·min-1. The ion source was electrospray ionization (ESI) with the positive ion detection. The scan range was m/z 100-600.Theophylline

sulfamethoxazole

chlorphenamine

diphenhydramine

pentoxyverine

benproperine

prednisone acetate and diazepam added in the traditional Chinese medicines were quantitatively identified. Result: The linear ranges of 8 kinds of chemical medicines were 1.251-62.55

1.043-52.15

1.057-52.85

1.002-50.10

1.147-57.35

1.069-53.45

0.991-49.55

1.111-55.55 mg ·L-1. The average recovery rate of 8 kinds of chemical medicines was 97.8%-103.2%. Conclusion: This method is rapid

simple and accurate

and could be used to detect 8 kinds of chemical medicines added in traditional Chinese medicines for relieving cough and asthma.