[Separation of tannins in Rhubarb and its analysis by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry]

In order to investigate the pharmaceutical actions of rhubarb, a method for extracting, separating and analyzing the tannin components in rhubarb was studied. At first, a procedure for the group separation of tannins from the water-ethanol extract of rhubarb was established based on the formation of tannins-caffein precipitation. Then, a high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the analysis of tannins in rhubarb was developed. This HPLC method is based on a reversed-phase C18 column and polar mobile-phase such as water and methanol with gradient elution, and the tannins can be well separated. Finally, the identification of the tannin components in rhubarb was carried out by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The structures of the main tannin components (gallic acid, catechin, the dimer, trimer, tetramer and pentamer of catechin) in rhubarb are suggested. The fragmentation laws of the tannin components are summarized. In comparing with previous methods, it is simple and without the interference of co-existed compounds.