Comprehensive Two-dimensional Liquid Chromatography Method for the Determination of Flavonoids in Complex Plant...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Flavonoids are plant polyphenols with significant biological activity.
• Analyzing flavonoids in complex plant matrices is challenging due to intricate chemical compositions.
• Effective separation techniques are crucial for accurate flavonoid determination in botanical samples.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel method for determining 18 specific flavonoids in diverse plant extracts.
• To identify rich sources of specific flavonoids within various plant materials.
• To establish efficient methods for isolating high-value flavonoids from botanical sources.

Main Methods:

• Reversed-phase comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography with UV detection (LC×LC-UV) was employed for flavonoid separation.
• The method was validated using various plant raw materials, including medicinal herbs and edible berries.
• Preparative High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was utilized for isolating pure flavonoid compounds.
• LC×LC-MS/MS was used for classifying other phenolic compounds present in the extracts.

Main Results:

• The LC×LC-UV method successfully determined 18 flavonoids across tested plant samples.
• Aspen knots were identified as rich sources of aromadendrin and naringenin derivatives.
• Apricot knots showed high concentrations of catechin and epicatechin.
• Bog rosemary was found to be abundant in quercetin glycosides: hyperoside, reinoutrin, and avicularin.

Conclusions:

• The developed LC×LC-UV approach offers a powerful tool for bioprospecting and quantifying flavonoids in plant materials.
• This method is suitable for the quality control of medicinal plants, edible botanicals, and derived products.
• The study successfully identified key plant sources for valuable flavonoids and established isolation protocols.