Separation of geometric isomers of native lutein diesters in marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Lutein is found in many foods; the richest and purest plant source is marigold flower (Tagetes erecta L.). In this plant, lutein is in the form of saturated fatty acid diesters. By using a binary mobile phase consisting of ethyl acetate and acetonitrile-methanol (9:1), improved separation was achieved on a C18-bonded phase. The unique absorption of lutein cis isomers at 330nm was used in combination with MS to identify the novel cis-lutein isomeric dimyristate, myristate-palmitate, dipalmitate, and palmitate-stearate diesters, as well as the rare combinations of both trans- and cis-lutein laurate-palmitate and trans- and cis-lutein myristate-stearate. The presence of the all-trans-lutein laurate-myristate, dimyristate, myristate-palmitate, palmitate-stearate, and distearate diesters, reported by others, was also confirmed.
Tsao
Rong
R
Food Research Program, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, Ont, N1G 5C9 Canada. caor@agr.gc.ca
Yang
Raymond
R
Young
J Christopher
JC
Zhu
Honghui
H
Manolis
Tony
T
D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D007536:Isomerism; D014975:Lutein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D031686:Tagetes / Q000737:chemistry*
D014975:Lutein