The non-covalent complexes between lappaconitine (LA) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) have been detected and characterized by electrospray ionization combined with ion trap tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn). The experimental results showed that only 1:1 non-covalent complex can be formed in different starting molar ratios of LA to β-CD. Furthermore, the diagnostic fragmentation of the β-CD-LA complex, with a significant contribution of covalent fragmentation of LA leaving the N-acetyl anthranoyl (AN) moiety inserted to β-CD, provided the convincing evidence for the formation of non-covalent complex between LA and β-CD and the cite of LA molecule included to cavity of β-CD assigned to AN residue.