Impact of Tralopyril and Triazolyl Glycosylated Chalcone in Human Retinal Cells’ Lipidome

Antifouling (AF) coatings containing booster biocides are used worldwide as one of the most cost-effective ways to prevent the attachment of marine organisms to submerged structures. Nevertheless, many of the commercial biocides, such as Econea® (tralopyril), are toxic in marine environments. For that reason, it is of extreme importance that new efficient AF compounds that do not cause any harm to non-target organisms and humans are designed. In this study, we measured the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of a promising nature-inspired AF compound, a triazolyl glycosylated chalcone (compound 1), in an immortalized human retinal pigment epithelial cell line (hTERT-RPE-1) and compared the results with the commercial biocide Econea®. We also investigated the effects of these biocides on the cellular lipidome following an acute (24 h) exposure using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-TOF/MS). Our results showed that compound 1 did not affect viability in hTERT-RPE-1 cells at low concentrations (1 μM), in contrast to Econea®, which caused a 40% reduction in cell viability. In total, 71 lipids were found to be regulated upon exposure to 10 µM of both compounds. Interestingly, both compounds induced changes in lipids involved in cell death, membrane modeling, lipid storage, and oxidative stress, but often in opposing directions. In general, Econea® exposure was associated with an increase in lipid concentrations, while compound 1 exposure resulted in lipid depletion. Our study showed that exposure to human cells at sublethal Econea® concentrations results in the modulation of several lipids that are linked to cell death and survival.

Complete Assignment of the 1H and 13C NMR Spectra of Carthamin Potassium Salt Isolated from Carthamus tinctorius L

Carthamin potassium salt isolated from Carthamus tinctorius L. was purified by an improved traditional Japanese method, without using column chromatography. The ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals of the pure product were fully assigned using one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy, while the high purity of the potassium salt and deprotonation at the 3′ position of carthamin were confirmed by atomic adsorption spectroscopy and nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Application of "spider-web" mode in discovery and identification of Q-markers from Xuefu Zhuyu capsule

BACKGROUND

The selection of quality control indicators in a complex system is a key scientific issue for the study of Chinese materia medica (CMM), which is directly related to its safety and efficacy. In order to scientifically understand and control the quality of CMM, quality marker (Q-marker) has been recently raised as a new concept, which provided a novel research idea for the quality control and evaluation of CMM.

PURPOSE

By a new and integrated "spider-web" mode, Q-markers of Xuefu Zhuyu capsule (XZC) were comprehensively uncovered, conducing to great improvement of quality control of XZC.

METHODS

Mainly established by three dimensions derived from six variables including content, stability and activity, "spider-web" mode was constructed to evaluate Q-marker property of candidate compounds by taking regression area of the tested compounds into account.

RESULTS

The candidate compounds with larger regression area were preferentially adopted as Q-markers, which should possess the satisfactorily integrated properties of content, stability and activity. Six compounds, naringin, isoliquiritin, paeoniflorin, protocatechuic acid, neohesperidin and ferulic acid, were identified and preferred as Q-markers of XZC.

CONCLUSION

Based on "spider-web" mode, Q-markers from Xuefu Zhuyu capsule were successfully screened, which would substantially perform quality control of XZC and prove the feasibility of "spider-web" mode in solving the selection of quality control indicators from compound formulae.

A rapid analysis method of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) using combination of computer vision and near-infrared

The quality of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in the market is uneven due to the problems of dyeing and adulteration of safflower, and there is no perfect standard for the classification of quality grade of safflower at present. In this study, computer vision (CV) and near-infrared (NIR) were combined to realize the rapid and nondestructive analysis of safflower. First, the partial least squares discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) model was used to qualitatively identify the dyed safflower from 150 samples. Then the partial least squares (PLS) model was used for quantitative analysis of the hydroxy safflower yellow pigment A (HSYA) and water extract of undyed safflower. Herein, the discrimination rate of PLS-DA model reached 100%, and the residual predictive deviation (RPD) values of the PLS models for HSYA and water extract were 2.5046 and 5.6195, respectively. It indicated that the rapid analysis method combining CV and NIR was reliable, and its results can provide important reference for the formulation of safflower quality classification standards in the market.

Screening of blood-activating active components from Danshen-Honghua herbal pair by spectrum-effect relationship analysis

BACKGROUND

Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza, DS) and Honghua (Carthamus tinctorius, HH) are commonly used traditional Chinese medicines for activating blood and removing stasis, and DS-HH (DH) herbal pair had potential synergistic effects on promoting blood circulation. Therefore, it is essential to make clear the active components of this herbal pair for better understanding their potential synergistic effects.

PURPOSE

To comprehensively evaluate the activity of DH herbal pair on physiological coagulation system of rats, and seek their potential active components by spectrum-effect relationship analysis.

METHODS

The water extracts of DH herbal pair with different proportions (DS: HH = 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, 1:5 and 1:3) were prepared. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into eight groups: blank group, model group, model + 1:1 (DH) group, model + 2:1 group, model + 3:1 group, model + 5:1 group, model + 1:5 group and model + 1:3 group. The intragastric administration was performed for eight times with 12 h intervals. SC40 semi-automatic coagulation analyzer was employed to determine coagulation indices. Meanwhile, HPLC and LC-MS were applied for chemical analyses of DH extracts. Finally, the active ingredients were screened by spectrum-effect relationship analysis and the activities of major predicted compounds were validated in vitro.

RESULTS

Different proportions of DH extracts could significantly prolong thrombin time (TT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), increase prothrombin time (PT) and decrease fibrinogen (FIB) content, reduced whole blood viscosity (WBV) and plasma viscosity (PV), decreased erythrocyte sedimentation rate blood (ESR) compared with model group. Furthermore, fifteen highly related components were screened out by the spectrum-effect relationship and LC-MS analysis, of which caffeic acid, salvianolic acid B, hydroxysafflor yellow A and lithospermate acid had significant blood-activing effect by prolong APTT and decrease FIB content at high (0.6 mM), medium (0.3 mM) and low (0.15 mM) (except lithospermate acid) concentrations in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

DH herbal pair showed strong blood-activating effect on blood stasis rat through regulating the parameters involved in haemorheology and plasma coagulation system. Four active compounds, caffeic acid, salvianolic acid B, hydroxysafflor yellow A and lithospermate acid predicted by spectrum-effect relationship analysis had good blood-activating effect. Therefore, spectrum-effect relationship analysis is an effective approach for seeking active components in herbal pairs.

[The molecular identification of licorice species and the quality evaluation of licorice slices]

Licorice is one of the most common herbs in traditional Chinese medicine, and classified as top grade in Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. There are three different original plants of licorice stipulated in Chinese Pharmacopeia, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., Glycyrrhiza glabra L., and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat. However, previous investigation showed that the pharmacodynamic effects of the three licorices were quite different. It is very difficult to identify them by the classical identification methods. In order to establish a fast and effective identification method, we collected 240 licorice plants from 21 populations of 7 provinces, and amplified their ITS and psbA-trnH sequences. ITS sequences with a full length of 616 bp and psbA-trnH sequences with a full length of 389 bp were obtained separately. Using DNAMAN to analyze these sequences, 4 variable sites were found in ITS sequences and 2 ITS haplotypes were determined, and 3 variable sites were found in psbA-trnH sequences and 4 psbA-trnH haplotypes were determined. With the combination analysis of ITS and psbA-trnH sequences, the molecular identification method of original licorice was established. Using this method, 40 samples of licorice slices collected from 4 main herbal material markets in China were identified successfully. Furthermore, the contents of 2 triterpenes, 18α-glycyrrhizic acid and 18β-glycyrrhizic acid, and 4 flavonoids, liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritigenin, and isoliquiritigenin in these licorice pieces were examined by HPLC and the results were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. This study provides a new method in identification of licorice, which may serve as a guideline for quality control of licorice slices.

Tailoring properties of natural deep eutectic solvents with water to facilitate their applications

Previously it was demonstrated that natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) are promising green solvents for the extraction of natural products. However, despite their potential, an obvious disadvantage of NADES is the high viscosity. Here we explored the dilution effect on the structures and physicochemical properties of NADES and their improvements of applications using quercetin and carthamin. The results of FT-IR and (1)H NMR experiments demonstrated that there are intensive H-bonding interactions between the two components of NADES and dilution with water caused the interactions weaken gradually and even disappeared completely at around 50% (v/v) water addition. A small amount of water could reduce the viscosity of NADES to the range of water and increase the conductivity by up to 100 times for some NADES. This study provides the basis for modulating NADES in a controllable way for their applications in food processing, enzyme reactions, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

[Multi-index determination and optimization of liquirtin separated from polyamide resin]

To optimize the separation process of liquirtin from glycyrrhiz by static, dynamic adsorption and desorption experiments on polyamide resin, with liquirtin, isoliquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid as the study index. The optimum process conditions were that the pH of solution was regulated to be 7.0, the concentration of liquirtin was 1.296 g x L(-1), the volume of loading buffer was 3 BV. After absorption, efforts shall be made to elute resin with water, 10%, 20%, 30% ethanol (3 BV for each), collect 20% ethanol eluted fraction, and recover solvents. The results showed lower contents of such impurities as isoliquiritin and isoliquiritin in extracts sepaprated under this process conditions, as well as an increase in purity of liquirtin from 4.86% to 88.5%. The method was simple and feasible, it could obtain a higher purity in extracts from liquirtin and provide basis for industrialized separation and preparation of liquirtin.

[Simultaneous determination of danshensu, hydroxysafflor yellow A, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid B in water extract of mixed salviae miltiorrhizae radix et rhizoma and carthami flos by HPLC]

OBJECTIVE

To develop an HPLC method to determine the contents of danshensu, hydroxysafflor yellow A, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid B in the water extract of mixed Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma and Carthami Flos simultaneously.

METHOD

The separation were carried out at 30 degrees C on a ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 column (4.6 mm x 100 mm, 1.8 microm) with formic acid-500 mmol x L(-1) ammonium formate-water solution (0.5:10:90) as mobile phase A and acetonitrile-formic acid solution (100: 0.5) as mobile phase B in gradient mode at a flow rate of 0.5 mL x min(-1). Detection wavelengths were 280 nm for danshensu, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, salvianolic acid B, and 380 nm for hydroxysafflor yellow A.

RESULT

The 5 components were separated well with a good linearity (R2 > 0.999 3) in the range of the test concentration. The average recoveries of danshensu, hydroxysafflor yellow A, rosmarinic acid, lithospermic acid, and salvianolic acid B were 99.1%, 102%, 102%, 98.5% and 101%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This method is simple, accurate, and repeatable.

[HPLC determination of hydroxysafflor yellow A in Mongolian medicine Dedu Honghuaqiwei pill]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a method for the determination of hydroxysafflor yellow A in Dedu Honghuaqiwei pill.

METHOD

The determination was performed by HPLC method on Diamonsil C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column at 403 nm using methanol-acetonitrile-0.7% phosphoric acid-water (26: 2: 72) as mobile phase. The column temperature was 30 degrees C and the flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1).

RESULT

The linear rang of hydroxysafflor yellow A was 0.068-0.408 microg and the recovery was 97.66%.

CONCLUSION

The result is accurate with good resolution, and the established method can be applied to determine the content of hydroxysafflor yellow A in Dedu Honghuaqiwei pill.

Identification of the major constituents in Xuebijing injection by HPLC-ESI-MS

INTRODUCTION

Xuebijing injection (XBJ) is a traditional Chinese herbal prescription widely used in the treatment of sepsis. This is the first report concerning the identification of XBJ constituents. In addition, to evaluate XBJ's quality, partial least square discrimination analysis (PLS-DA) was performed on chemical fingerprint data.

OBJECTIVE

Establish an LC-MS method to identify the components in XBJ for the purpose of quality control.

METHODOLOGY

Compounds were separated by HPLC using a C(18) column and gradient elution of acetonitrile-methanol (60:40, v/v) and water-acetic acid (100 : 0.5, v/v) in 80 min. HPLC equipped with diode array detector (DAD) coupled with time-of-flight (TOF) tandem mass spectrometry and HPLC electrospray ionisation (ESI) multi-stage tandem ion-trap mass spectrometry (IT-MS(n) ) method was developed to analyse XBJ's major components. Both positive and negative ionisation modes were employed.

RESULTS

Twenty-one compounds including amino acids, phenolic acids, flavonoid glycoside, terpene glycoside and phthalide were identified or tentatively characterised. Their retention times, UV and MS spectra were compared with those of authentic compounds or literature data. The score plot of PLS-DA clearly revealed variations among samples produced in different commercial batches.

CONCLUSIONS

The analytical method developed is highly effective for the discrimination and quality control of XBJ.

[HPLC determination of four components in Tibetan medicine Dangzuo of different Tibetan regions]

OBJECTIVE

To develop an HPLC method for determination of gallic acid, hydroxysafflor yellow A, cinnamic aldehyde and piperine in Tibetan medicine Dangzuo, and to compare the content of four active components in Dangzuo of different Tibetan regions.

METHOD

The separation was carried out on a Waters XTerra RP-C18 column ( 4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm). The mobile phases were methanol and water, all contained 0.1% glacial acetic acid, for gradient elution. The gradient program was as follows: 0-22.5 min, methanol was changed from 5% to 50%; 22.5-40 min, changed to 80% 80:20. The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was 270 nm. The reference wavelength was 500 nm.

RESULT

The linear ranges of gallic acid, hydroxysafflor yellow A, cinnamic aldehyde and piperine were 0.040-0.640 microg (r = 0.999 8), 0.090-1.440 microg (r = 0.999 9), 0.031-0.500 microg (r = 0.999 9 ) and 0.092-41.477 microg (r = 0.998 9), respectively. The average recoveries (n = 6) were 97.42% (RSD 1.9%), 97.55% (RSD 2.9%), 98.69% (RSD 0.96%) and 96.72% (RSD 4.0%), respectively. The content ranges of gallic acid, hydroxysafflor yellow A, cinnamic aldehyde and piperine in Dangzuo samples of different Tibetan regions were 0.11341.69 mg x g(-1), 0.889-1.51 mg x g(-1), 0.000-40.606 mg x g(-1) and 1.96-2.73 mg x g(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The method is a simple and effective for quality control of Tibetan medicine Dangzuo.

[Simultaneous determination of multicomponent in Xuefuzhuyu granule with different UV-wavelength by HPLC]

OBJECTIVE

To establish the method for the quality control of Xuefuzhuyu granule.

METHOD

The content of Semen Armeniacae Amarum PE, Hydroxysafflor yellow A, paeoniflorin and ferulic acid in Xuefuzhuyu granule were determined by HPLC under multi-wavelength of 210, 403, 230, 316 nm.

RESULT

The calibration curve of Semen Armeniacae Amarum PE. hydroxysafflor yellow A, paeoniflorin and ferulic acid were linear within 0.1154-0.9232 (r = 0.9998), 0.0219-0.1754 (r = 0.9994), 0.3952-3.1616 (r = 0.9995), and 0.0426-0.3408 microg (r = 0.9998), respectively. The average recoveries were 101.78% (RSD was 1.7%), 99.60% (RSD was 2.9%), 98.90% (RSD was 2.0%), and 100.31% (RSD was 1.8%), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The method of quantification is accurate, rapid and reliable for the quality control of Xuefuzhuyu granule.

[Research on technological process of two-pot countercurrent extraction of hydroxysafflor yellow A]

OBJECTIVE

To study the optimum technical conditions of extracting Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) from Carthmus tinctorius by multi-stage countercurrent extraction technology.

METHOD

The effects of extraction time of each stage, extraction temperature, ethanol concentration and solid-liquid ratio (g x mL(-1)) on extraction yield of HSYA were studied by orthogonal test design and the comparison of other extraction methods were presented.

RESULT

Extraction time and solid-liquid ratio had significant influence on the extraction yield, and the optimum parameters were as follows: Extraction time of each stage was 120 min, solid-liquid ratio was 1 : 10 (g x mL(-1)), ethanol concentration was 30%, and extracted at room temperature. Under the optimum conditions, the extraction yield of HSYA was 1.56% and the purity of the extract was 6.06%. Compared with the traditional extraction method and the ultrasonic extraction method of the pharmacopoeia, the extraction yield was increased by 6.12% and 9.09%, the purity of extract was increased by 42.9% and 27.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The multi-stage countercurrent extraction technology has many advantages such as simple operation, less solvent consumption, higher extraction yield and purity of extract and it has wide industrial application prospect.

Determination of safflor yellow A, puerarin, ferulic acid, ginsenoside Rg1, and Rb1 in the Traditional Chinese Medicinal preparation Naodesheng injection by high-performance liquid chromatography

High-performance liquid chromatography is employed to determine the contents of five mark components, safflor yellow A, puerarin, ferulic acid, ginsenoside Rg1, and Rb1, in the Traditional Chinese Medicinal preparation Naodesheng injection. The separation is performed on a C18 column by stepwise gradient elution with water (0.1%, v/v, phosphoric acid)-acetonitrile (0 min, 86:14; 48 min, 75:25; and 68 min, 50:50) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, with UV detection at 203 nm. Five regression equations show a good linear relationship between the peak area of each marker and concentration. The recoveries of the markers listed are 99.6%, 100.2%, 99.7%, 100.0%, and 99.7%, respectively. The repeatability and reproducibility (relative standard deviation) of the method are less than 1.4% and 1.8%, respectively.

[Study on HPLC fingerprint of water-soluble constituents of Carthamus tinctorius]

OBJECTIVE

To establish the HPLC-fingerprint of the water-soluble constituents of Carthamus tinctorius.

METHODS

18 samples of Carthamus tinctorius from different producing areas were determined by Agilent 1100 DAD-HPLC under the chromatographic conditions: column by SinoChrom ODS-BP (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm), methanol-0.7% H3PO4 water with gradient elution, column temperature 30 degrees C, flow rate by 1 ml/min, wavelength 280 nm, and inject volume 20 microl.

RESULTS

The HPLC-fingerprint of the water-soluble constituents of Cartharnus tinctorius was established on the basis of 10 bitch of drugs from Xinjiang according to SPSS analysis.

CONCLUSION

A reliable method is provided for the quality identification of Carthamus tinctorius.

Determination of hydroxysafflor yellow A in rat plasma and tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography after oral administration of safflower extract or safflor yellow

A simple and reproducible HPLC method for quantification of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) in rat plasma and tissues after oral administration of safflower extract or safflor yellow (SY) was developed. Sample preparation was achieved by protein precipitation of plasma and tissue homogenates with three volumes of methanol. p-Hydroxybenzaldehyde was used as the internal standard (IS). HSYA and IS were separated on a Hypersil BDS-C(18) column with a gradient elution system composed of acetonitrile and aqueous acetic acid. UV detection was used at 320 nm. The calibration curves were linear in all matrices (r(2) > 0.999) in the concentration ranges 0.51-101.36 microg/mL for plasma, 12.27-2454.46 microg/g for intestines and 0.96-192.20 microg/g for lung. The intra-day and inter-day precision were all less than 12.5%, and the extract recovery was in the range 64.1-103.7% with RSD less than 15.6% for HSYA in all matrices. The method was used successfully to quantify HSYA in rat plasma and tissue samples to support a pharmacokinectic study.

[Determination of safflor yellow A by RP-HPLC and resources quality comparison in Carthamus tinctorius]

OBJECTIVE

To provide the basis for establishing evaluation criterion, selecting good strains and carring out good agricultural practice of the crude drug.

METHOD

Representative 22 varieties of Carthamus tinctorius were selected and cultivated in different ecological localities and different years. And the content of safflor yellow A in their corollas were measured by RP-HPLC to compare the differences and their genetic stabilities among varieties.

RESULT

The range of of safflor yellow A content was 0.70%-1.85% which were varied among varieties (P < 0.01). The content of safflor yellow A in varieties Yutai Honghua, Hefei Honghua, Rucheng Honghua were higher than in others.

CONCLUSION

The effective compound safflor yellow A in C. tinctorius was one of the main quality evaluation criterions. Varieties Yutai Honghua, Hefei Honghua and Rucheng Honghua were good resources.

Chemical composition of propolis from Canada, its antiradical activity and plant origin

The chemical composition of propolis from two regions in Canada was studied: Boreal forest and Pacific coastal forest that lay outside the area of distribution of Aigeiros poplars, the usual propolis source plants. In the sample from Victoria, p-hydroxyacetophenone, benzyl hydroxybenzoate and cinnamic acid were the major components, accompanied by significant amounts of dihydrochalcones, which allowed the identification of its plant source: Populus trichocarpa of Section Tacamahaca. Three dihydrochalcones were new for propolis. The sample from Richmond was characterized by large amounts of p-coumaric and cinnamic acid, typical for poplars of Section Leuce, subsection Trepidae, its plant source was identified as P. tremuloides. Both samples showed good radical scavenging activity against DPPH. Obviously, Northern type propolis is a promising potential source of biologically active substances and deserves further investigation.

Simultaneous Determination of Components in Preparation Naodesheng Injection by High Performance Liquid Chromatograph–Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS/APCI)

A high-performance liquid chromatograph with mass spectrum detection (HPLC-MS/APCI) method has been established for simultaneous determination of ten major bioactive components of Naodesheng injection including safflor yellow A, puerarin, daidzein, ginsenosides (Rg1, Rg2, Rb1, Rd, Re, Rh1), and notoginsenoside R1. The separations were carried out with a Luna C18 column (5 microm, 150x4.6 mm, Phenomenex, U.S.A.) with a stepwise gradient elution of the mobile phase consisting of water (0.1% of formic acid, v/v)-methanol (0 min, 70:30; 8 min, 30:70; 20 min, 10:90) at a flow-rate of 0.8 ml/min. The proposed method was applied to analyze five various Naodesheng injections and produced data with acceptable linearity, repeatability, precision and accuracy having lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) of 0.02-0.2 microg. The calibration curves were linear in respective range for all compounds, all of them with coefficients of determination above 0.9900. The intraday precessions were less than 5.0%. The proposed method is accurate, sensitive and simple, a useful alternative for routine analysis in the quality control of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

HPLC analysis of flavokavins and kavapyrones from Piper methysticum Forst

A simultaneous HPLC separation of the six major kavapyrones and the flavokavins A-C in an ethanolic extract of Piper methysticum was carried out on a Symmetry C18 column. For quantitative determinations of the flavokavins, calibration curves with correlation coefficients between 0.9986 and 0.9998 were established. Detection limit for each flavokavin of 0.5 ng per injection was measured at 355 nm. The precision of the HPLC analysis was verified by six determinations of the content of flavokavins in the kava extract. Flavokavins A-C contents of 0.62+/-0.01 mg/100 mg, 0.34+/-0.01 mg/100 mg and 0.14+/-0.003 mg/100 mg ethanolic kava extract was found, respectively. From the corresponding relative standard deviation of 1.53, 1.99 and 2.30% the confidential interval (P=95) of the mean value was calculated for each flavokavin. The accuracy of the method was proven by recoveries between 99.2+/-0.3% and 101.1+/-0.4% for the flavokavins A-C.

Mass spectrometric identification and quantification of glycosyl flavonoids, including dihydrochalcones with neutral loss scan mode

We developed a strategy for determination and quantification of glycosyl flavonoids using liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with neutral loss scan at 15 and 30eV collision energy in the positive ion mode. The fragmentation patterns of glycosyl flavonoids at 15 and 30eV showed that fragmentation of sugar moiety depended on the type of glycosidic bond to aglycone, the site of C-glycosylation, and the type of aglycone. C-Glycosyl dihydrochalcones especially stood out because they produced [M+H-162](+) even at 15eV such as O-glycoside in spite of C-glycoside. C-Glycosides were classified according to (i) the intensity ratio A of [M+H-150](+) to [M+H-120](+) at 30eV and (ii) the intensity ratio B of [M+H-120](+) at 15eV to one at 30eV. The 8-C-glycosides were A<1 and B<1, the 6-C-glycosides were A>1 and B<1, and the C-glycosyl dihydrochalcones were A>1 and B>>1. Therefore, the intensity ratios of the neutral loss scan of 120 and 150Da at 30eV and those of 120, 162, and 308Da at 15eV allowed sequential distinction among these three types of C-glycosides as well as between O- and C-glycosides. Our method was applied for analysis of Rooibos tea, and the identified glycosides could be quantified specifically by the selected reaction monitoring method.

Content of chalconaringenin and chlorogenic acid in cherry tomatoes is strongly reduced during postharvest ripening

The contents of chalconaringenin, chlorogenic acid, rutin, ascorbic acid, lycopene, and beta-carotene were analyzed during postharvest and vine ripening of cherry tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentumMill.) (cv. Jennita) produced in a greenhouse. A remarkable decrease in the content of chalconaringenin took place during postharvest ripening. The tomatoes were found to contain 15.26 mg 100 g(-1) fresh weight (FW) at harvest but held only 0.41 mg after 3 weeks at 20 degrees C in darkness. Chalconaringenin did not convert into naringenin. The content of chlorogenic acid fell from 0.51 to 0.06 mg 100 g(-1) FW at the same conditions. The content of rutin and that of total phenolics remained stable during postharvest ripening. The amounts of lycopene as well as beta-carotene and ascorbic acid increased during postharvest ripening. No significant change in the amount of methanol soluble antioxidants or total soluble solids was found during postharvest ripening of the tomato fruits. During vine ripening, the total amount of phenolics and that of soluble solids (% Brix) increased. The content of phenolics correlated well with the content of methanol soluble antioxidants (p < 0.001). The amount of ascorbic acid increased from 9.7 mg in green-yellow tomatoes to 17.1 mg 100 g(-1) FW in red tomatoes. The amount of chalconaringenin decreased to 8.16 mg 100 g(-1) FW, whereas no significant change was observed for chlorogenic acid or rutin. Possible causes for the decrease in chalconaringenin are discussed.

Polyphenol profiles of apple juices

Focusing on 17 constituents, the polyphenol profiles of juices freshly made from various dessert (n = 4) and cider apple cultivars (n = 7) as well as commercially available apple juices (n = 24) were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and (HPLC)-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI(neg)-MS/MS) analyses. Significant differences in the total polyphenol content as well as the profiles of the apple cultivars under study were observed. For dessert apples the total polyphenol content ranged from 154 to 178 mg/L, whereas for 'old' German cider apple cultivars 261-970 mg/L were determined. Boskoop showed the highest (970 mg/L) and Granny Smith the lowest (154 mg/L) polyphenol content of the freshly prepared samples under study. Hydroxycinnamic acids, with chlorogenic acid as dominating constituent, ranged from 57 to 68 mg/L as well as from 134-593 mg/L in juices made from dessert apples and that from cider apples, respectively. Dessert apple juices showed lower contents of dihydrochalcones (10-35 mg/L) and flavan-3-ols (50-95 mg/L) compared to that of cider apples (34-171 mg/L and 70-393 mg/L, respectively). Quercetin and its derivatives were found from 0.4-4 mg/L and 0.4-27 mg/L in juices made from dessert apples and that of cider apples, respectively. Compared with freshly made juices, lower contents of polyphenols were determined in the commercial samples under study. Amounts ranging from 110-459 mg/L, dominated by chlorogenic acid with concentrations from 53-217 mg/L, were determined. Information about cultivar-typical apple polyphenol content and profile is important for bioactivity studies and, consequently, essential for the development of consumer-relevant products with particular nutritional functionalities.

Seasonal variations in the level of plant constituents in greenhouse production of cherry tomatoes

The content of selected plant constituents was measured in cherry tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentumMill. cv. Jennita) during conventional Norwegian tomato production in a greenhouse from May until October 2004. Samples were collected according to standard production procedure with orange-yellow colored fruits at weight in the range of 12.4-19.3 g and size in the range of 28.9-33.0 mm (diameter). The content of selected compounds based on 100 g FW were found to vary in the following range during the season: 7.38-28.38 mg of chalconaringenin, 0.32-0.92 mg of rutin, 0.24-1.06 mg of chlorogenic acid, 5.60-20.02 mg of ascorbic acid, 1.60-5.54 mg of lycopene, and 0.37-0.55 mg beta-carotene. Only minute amounts of naringenin together with kaempferol 3-rutinoside and caffeic acid, which previously have been reported from tomatoes, were detected. The content of chalconaringenin to rutin and that of lycopene to beta-carotene showed a strong correlation during the season (p < 0.001). The content of total phenolics and methanol-soluble antioxidants also showed a correlation (p < 0.001), and were found in the range 14.6-32.6 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/100 g fresh weight (FW) and 445-737 micromol of Fe(II)/100 g FW, respectively. Seasonal variation in the level of plant constituents is shown to be related to photon flux density and fertilization level.

Chemical analysis of raw, dry-roasted, and honey-roasted licorice by capillary electrophoresis

In herbal medicine, licorice is usually processed using a roasting procedure which might modify the chemical compositions in licorice. To test this hypothesis, licorice root samples were roasted under various conditions (with or without honey) and subsequently extracted by refluxing with 95% ethanol. The analysis of chemical compositions of licorice root extracts was achieved by capillary electrophoresis. The running buffer has been optimized to be 50 mM sodium tetraborate (pH 9.01) containing 5 mM beta-cyclodextrin. Thermal decomposition of glycyrrhizin, which was a major ingredient in licorice, was first studied in detail, indicating the conversion of glycyrrhizin to glycyrrhetinic acid. The licorice extracts were then analyzed to indicate the above thermal conversion did occur in the licorice samples. This finding may shed some light on understanding the differences in the therapeutic values of raw versus roasted licorice in herbal medicine.

Determination of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin in Glycyrrhiza uralensis and its medicinal preparations by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection

A simple, reliable, reproducible and sensitive method, based on capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection (ED), for the determination of liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin in Glycyrrhiza uralensis and its medicinal preparations was described. Operated in a wall-jet configuration, a 300 microm diameter carbon-disk electrode was used as the working electrode, which exhibits good responses at + 1000 mV (versus SCE) for the two analytes. Under the optimum conditions, the analytes were base-line separated within 8 min, and excellent linearity was obtained in the concentration range from 5.0 x 10(-4) to 1.0 x 10(-6) mol/l. The detection limit (S/N = 3) was 4.7 x 10(-7) and 2.9 x 10(-7) mol/l for liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin, respectively. This work provides a useful method for the analysis of traditional Chinese medicines.

Structure determination of minor red pigment in carthamus red colorant isolated by preparative LC/MS

Carthamin is a well-known major pigment in carthamus red colourant. When analysed by HPLC on an ODS column, the colorant separated into two distinct reddish pigments, with both components having almost identical photodiode array spectra. LC/MS analysis suggested one of the compounds was carthamin, whilst the other was an unknown minor pigment. The minor pigment was purified and isolated from the colorant by preparative LC/MS collecting the faction based on monitoring the deprotonated molecule [M-H](-) m/z 953 in electrospray negative-ion mode. The structure was elucidated as a hydroxyethyl ether of carthamin, a novel compound, by means of NMR and HR-FAB-MS analyses.

Polyphenolic profiles in eight apple cultivars using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Polyphenolic compounds of apple may play an important role in physiologic functions related to human health. Different polyphenolics may have varied biological activities including antioxidant activity. The objective of this study was to investigate the profiles of polyphenolic compounds in different apple varieties and different parts of an apple. The total and individual polyphenolics differed significantly among the eight apple cultivars grown in Ontario, and the peels had higher concentrations than the flesh. Among the tested cultivars, Red Delicious and Northern Spy had the highest concentrations and Empire the lowest. Five major polyphenolic groups with a total of 16 identified individual compounds were found, among which the dihydroxycinnamic acid esters, phloretin glycosides, and flavan-3-ols were found in both flesh and peel, whereas quercetin glycosides were almost exclusively found in the peel. Cyanidin 3-galactoside was unique to and found only in red apple peels. In both apple peel and flesh, the predominant group of polyphenolics was the procyanidins, followed by quercetin glycosides in the peel and hydroxycinnamic acid esters in the flesh. 3-Hydroxyphloretin 2'-xyloglucoside was newly identified in apple. The results obtained in this study will further the understanding of the polyphenolic composition of apples and their roles in health-promoting physiological functions.

Structural characterization and isomer differentiation of chalcones by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A series of chalcones were characterized by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (MS(n)). Several ionization modes were evaluated, including protonation, deprotonation and metal complexation, with metal complexation being the most efficient. Collision-activated dissociation (CAD) was used to characterize the structures, and losses commonly observed include H(2), H(2)O, CO and CO(2), in addition to methyl radicals for the methoxy-containing chalcones. CAD of the metal complexes, especially [Co(II) (chalcone-H) 2,2'-bipyridine](+), allowed the most effective differentiation of the isomeric chalcones with several diagnostic fragment ions appearing upon activation of the metal complexes. MS(n) experiments were performed to support identification of some fragment ions and to verify the proposed fragmentation pathways. In several cases, MS(n) indicated that specific neutral losses occurred by stepwise pathways, such as the neutral loss of 44 u as CH3* and HCO*, or CH(4) and CO, in addition to CO(2).

Glabrene and isoliquiritigenin as tyrosinase inhibitors from licorice roots

Tyrosinase is known to be a key enzyme in melanin biosynthesis, involved in determining the color of mammalian skin and hair. Various dermatological disorders, such as melasama, age spots, and sites of actinic damage, arise from the accumulation of an excessive level of epidermal pigmentation. The inadequacy of current therapies to treat these conditions as well as high cytotoxicity and mutagenicity, poor skin penetration, and low stability of formulations led us to seek new whitening agents to meet the medical requirements for depigmenting agents. The inhibitory effect of licorice extract on tyrosinase activity was higher than that expected from the level of glabridin in the extract. This led us to test for other components that may contribute to this strong inhibitory activity. Results indicated that glabrene and isoliquiritigenin (2',4',4-trihydroxychalcone) in the licorice extract can inhibit both mono- and diphenolase tyrosinase activities. The IC(50) values for glabrene and isoliquiritigenin were 3.5 and 8.1 microM, respectively, when tyrosine was used as substrate. The effects of glabrene and isoliquiritigenin on tyrosinase activity were dose-dependent and correlated to their ability to inhibit melanin formation in melanocytes. This is the first study indicating that glabrene and isoliquiritigenin exert varying degrees of inhibition on tyrosinase-dependent melanin biosynthesis, suggesting that isoflavenes and chalcones may serve as candidates for skin-lightening agents.

Electrochemical biosensor for the interaction of DNA with the alkylating agent 4,4'-dihydroxy chalcone based on guanine and adenine signals

The interaction of an alkylating agent, 4,4'-dihydroxy chalcone (DHC) with calf thymus double stranded DNA (dsDNA) and calf thymus single stranded DNA (ssDNA) was studied electrochemically based on the oxidation signals of guanine and adenine by using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at carbon paste electrode (CPE). As a result of the alkylation of DHC between the base pairs in dsDNA, the voltammetric signal of guanine and adenine greatly decreased. After the interaction of DHC with ssDNA, a higher decrease in the oxidation signals of guanine and adenine was observed under the same conditions. The partition coefficients of DHC at dsDNA and ssDNA modified CPEs were calculated. The interactions of DHC with synthetic polynucleotides, such as polyguanylic acid and polyadenylic acid were also observed. In addition, the detection limit and the reproducibility were determined by using DPV. The interaction of DHC with dsDNA in solution-phase was also investigated and the results were compared with the ones obtained by surface immobilized dsDNA. The application of electrochemical DNA biosensor for monitoring the DNA-alkylating agent interactions was explored.

Quantitative characterization of flavonoid compounds in Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) by LC-UV/DAD

Rooibos tea originates from the leaves and stems of the indigenous South African plant Aspalathus linearis. It has gained much attention for clinical purposes in the case of nervous tension, allergies (dermatitis), and various indigestive problems. Recently, antioxidative activity was also attributed to the tea on the basis of its flavonoid content. Therefore, an HPLC method using a C(18) reversed phase column was developed for the assay of 10 flavonoids in aqueous and methanolic infusions. Main compounds determined were the dihydrochalcone aspalthin, rutin, and orientin, and their content was in the range of 1.0 to 1.3 mg/g. The identity of detected flavonoids was confirmed by comparing their retention times and UV and MS spectra with those of corresponding standards. In addition, the MS analysis showed evidence of the presence of other compounds such as nothofagin, dihydroisoorientin, and dihydroorientin.

Chemical composition of European propolis: expected and unexpected results

Ten propolis samples from Bulgaria, Italy and Switzerland were analyzed by GC-MS. As expected, most samples displayed the typical chemical pattern of "poplar" propolis: they contained pinocembrin, pinobanksin and its 3-O-acetate, chrysin, galangin, prenyl esters of caffeic and ferulic acids. Two samples differed significantly: one from the Graubünden Alpine region, Switzerland, rich in phenolic glycerides, and one from Sicily which contained only a limited number of phenolics and was rich in diterpenic acids.

[Determination of the saflor yellow-A in Carthamin tinctorius]

The content of the saflor yellow-A in Carthamin tinctorius medicinal materials was determined by the HPLC method. The C18-ODS(150 x 4.5 mm) column and methanol-acetonitrile-0.7% H3PO4(26:2:72) as a mobile phase were used. The flow rate was 1.0 ml/min and the detective wavelength was 403 nm. The average recovery was 100.72% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.73%.

Synthesis, isolation and identification of glucuronides and mercapturic acids of a novel antiparasitic agent, licochalcone A

1. Four glucuronic acid conjugates of licochalcone A (Lica), and their metabolites, have been synthesized using rabbit and pig liver microsomes and purified by preparative hplc. 2. The glucuronides were identified as E-Lica 4'-O-beta-glucuronide, E and Z-Lica 4-O-beta-glucuronide and a mono-glucuronide conjugate of a beta-hydroxylated Lica metabolite. The metabolites were identified by hplc-nmr (one and two-dimensional nmr) as well as hplc-ms. 3. At pH 8.5 Lica reacted with N-acetyl-L-cysteine giving the two epimeric conjugates, which were then isolated by preparative hplc and identified by one and two-dimensional nmr spectroscopic methods. 4. Only two glucuronic acid conjugates (E- and Z-Lica 4-O-beta-glucuronide) were found in the urine of rat after i.p. administration of a single dose of Lica.

Validated high-performance liquid chromatographic method for quantitation of neohesperidine dihydrochalcone in foodstuffs

An analytical method to detect and quantitate neohesperidine dihydrochalcone in foodstuffs has been developed and validated in soft-drink applications. The method was shown to be sufficiently precise, accurate, selective and rugged in quantitating neohesperidine DC both at flavouring (1-5 mg/kg) and sweetening (5-50 mg/kg) levels. Applications of the method to determine neohesperidine DC in foodstuffs other than soft-drinks is also described.

[Comparison on the chemical constituents of chuanhonghua I with jianyang honghua]

Based on the qualitative reaction of chemical constituents and TLC, the chemical constituents of Chuanhonghua-I were found similar to those Jianyang honghua. The effective constituents, safflower haematochrome and safflower yellow contents of Chuanhonghua-I, meet the standards of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (Ed. 1990).

Saponin and sapogenol. L. On the constituents of the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer from Xinjiang, China. Chemical structures of licorice-saponin L3 and isoliquiritin apioside

From the air-dried roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fischer collected in Xinjiang province, China ("Shinkyo-Kanzo" in Japanese), a new oleanene-type triterpene oligoglycoside named licorice-saponin L3 and a new chalcone oligoglycoside named isoliquiritin apioside were isolated together with glycyrrhizin, 18 alpha-glycyrrhizin, apioglycyrrhizin, araboglycyrrhizin, licorice-saponins A3, E2, G2, and H2, and six known flavonoid glycosides. On the basis of chemical and physicochemical evidence, the structures of licorice-saponin L3 and isoliquiritin apioside were elucidated as 3 beta-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1--> 2)-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyloxy]-22 beta-acetoxy-24-hydroxyolean-12-en-30-oic acid (1) and 4-O-[beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D- glucopyranosyl]isoliquiritigenin (6), respectively.

Liquid chromatographic determination of naringin and neohesperidin as a detector of grapefruit juice in orange juice

Naringin/neohesperidin ratios can be used to differentiate orange juice which may contain added grapefruit juice from orange juice which may include juices from other naringin-containing cultivars. The naringin/neohesperidin ratios in juice vary from 14 to 83 in grapefruit (C. grandis) and from 1.3 to 2.5 in sour orange (C. aurantium) cultivars; the ratio is always less than 1 for the K-Early tangelo. Concentrations of both naringin and neohesperidin can be determined in orange juice by using a single liquid chromatographic isocratic reverse-phase system with a C-18 column. The detection limit for both compounds is 1 ppm with a linear working range to 500 ppm. Concentration relative standard deviations range from 0.47 to 1.06% for naringin and from 0.4 to 1.27% for neohesperidin. Naringin and neohesperidin recoveries ranged from 93 to 102% at concentrations of 5 and 50 ppm. Naringin values from blind duplicate samples of orange/grapefruit juice blends could be duplicated to +/- 3%.

Liquid chromatography of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone

The determination of a number of impurities in neohesperidin dihydrochalcone is described, as well as the determination of neohesperidin dihydrochalcone in food products. A reversed-phase chromatographic system is used, with octadecyltrichloro-silane-treated silica gel as chemically bonded stationary phase and methanol-water as mobile phase; a detailed procedure for preparing the packing material is given, and the dependence of the amount of bonded stationary phase on the humidity of the silica gel before the bonding reaction is shown. The glass column was packed at 350 atm in a steel pressure vessel, with use of a slurry-packing technique; details are given of the pressure vessel and of the packing method. Chromatograms are reproduced to show the performance of such columns in this type of analysis.