Determination of Flavonoids and Phenolic Acids in Plant Materials Using SLE-SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS Method

Abstract

Today, great emphasis is placed on the search for and dissemination of native plant materials in various industries, with particular emphasis on food, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and as livestock feed and a source of biomass. Solid-liquid extraction (SLE), solid phase extraction (SPE), and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) methods were developed for the simultaneous determination of 30 flavonoids and phenolic acids in plant materials (lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea L.), phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and lavender (Lavandula spica L.)). Different SLE methods were tested to evaluate their applicability for the isolation of polyphenols from plants. Then extracts were purified with a C18 reversed-phase SPE cartridge. After extraction, samples were analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS. The SLE-SPE-UHPLC-MS/MS assay method has been fully validated. For the most compounds, good recoveries and RSDs (< 10%) were obtained. Limits of quantification range from 0.4 to 20 ng/mL. The main phenolic acids in the studied plants have been found to be 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid. Quercetin, rutin, glabridin, and naringenin are the major flavonoids detected in the analyzed samples. The obtained scientific data can be useful to select plant materials with high nutritional value and the presence of many biologically active ingredients, as well as selecting samples used as a plant biomass, as food, and as a component of dietary supplements.

Determination of Polyphenols Using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry Technique (LC–MS/MS): A Review

“…In this work, the authors concluded that LLE is more effective for phenolic acids and flavonoids, whereas for anthocyanin extraction by SPE is better. Similarly, Bajckacz [31] compared solid-liquid extraction with the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) method for the extraction of flavonoids and phenolic acids in plant material. QuEChERS is a novel extraction method created to avoid the use of large solvent volumes and to reduce the purification times [46].…”

“…For example, some phenolic compounds are very photosensitive, as a result, rapid extraction methods are necessary to avoid the degradation of them [28]. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and solid-liquid extraction (SLE) followed by a stage of concentration and purification are the most widely used methods to make a selective extraction of phenolic compounds from various matrices [2,3,[29][30][31][32].…”

Solidago virgaurea L.: A Review of Its Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities

“…Caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic, sinapic, 3-hydroxyphenylacetic, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic (DOPAC), and homovanilic acids were also reported in phytochemical studies of S. virgaurea L [62]. In one study, whereas chlorogenic acid was detected and measured (by HPLC), ellagic and rosmarinic acids could not be detected [96].…”

“…antiadipogenic effects to kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside [104]. Several main compounds with a C6-C1 have apparently been reported up to date in S. virgaurea, two glycosides and two aglycones: virgaureoside A, a bis-desmosidic glycoside derived from benzoic acid (2-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxybenzoic acid-2'-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxybenzyl ester) [89], leiocarposide (2'-hydroxybenzyl-3-methoxybenzoate 2',4-diglucoside) [56], vanillic acid, gallic acid [9,90], benzoic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic (protocatechuic) acid, and 2,5-dihydroxibenzoic (gentisic) acid [61,62]. Such derivatives of the benzoic acid are often occurring in the family Asteraceae [91].…”

“…Among the most important are the caffeoylquinic derivatives (chlorogenic acid, but also 5-O-caffeoylquinic (neochlorogenic) acid, 5-p-coumaroylquinic acid, 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic, 3,4-di-O-caffeoylquinic, 4,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acids, methyl 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinate, and 3,4,5-tri-O-caffeoylquinic acid, the latter showing superior anti-inflammatory effects over the di-caffeoylquinic derivatives.) [10,49,58,59,62,99].…”