Validated method for bioactive lignans in Schisandra chinensis in vitro cultures using a solid phase extraction and a...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Plant Biotechnology

Background:

• Schisandra chinensis is a plant known for its valuable lignan compounds.
• Accurate and efficient methods are needed to quantify lignans in plant cell cultures.
• Existing methods may be time-consuming or lack the required sensitivity for complex matrices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a simple, rapid, and accurate method for determining six specific lignans in Schisandra chinensis plant cell cultures.
• To establish reliable quantification limits and recovery rates for the target lignans.
• To apply the validated method for the analysis of lignans in embryogenic cell cultures.

Main Methods:

• Lignan extraction from plant samples using methanol.
• Solid-phase extraction (SPE) for sample cleanup using Strata C18-E cartridges.
• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) on a Chromolith Performance RP-18e monolithic column with an isocratic mobile phase (acetonitrile:water, 50:50 v/v) at a flow rate of 2 mL/min, monitored at 220 nm.

Main Results:

• Baseline separation of six lignans (schizandrin, gomisin A, deoxyschizandrin, gamma-schizandrin, gomisin N, and wuweizisu C) was achieved within 20 minutes.
• Lower limits of quantitation ranged from 0.1 mg/L to 1 mg/L, demonstrating high sensitivity.
• Absolute recoveries for spiked samples were excellent, ranging from 93% to 101%.

Conclusions:

• A simple, rapid, and validated HPLC method enables accurate determination of six key lignans in Schisandra chinensis cell cultures.
• The method's efficiency and sensitivity make it suitable for routine analysis and quality control.
• This validated method successfully quantified lignans in embryogenic plant cell cultures of Schisandra chinensis.