A RP-HPLC-DAD-APCI/MSD method for the characterisation of medicinal Ericaceae used by the Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nations.
BACKGROUND
Ericaceae medicinal plants are traditionally used by the Eeyou Istchee Cree and other northern peoples of North America to treat type 2 diabetic symptoms. Because of the importance of phenolics as potential cures for degenerative diseases including type 2 diabetes, an analytical method was developed to detect them in the leaf extracts of 14 Ericaceae plants.


OBJECTIVE
To develop an optimised method which is applicable to a relatively large number of Ericaceae plants using their leaf extracts. For this purpose phenolics with a wide range of polarity, including a glucosylated benzoquinone, two phenolic acids, three flavanols, a flavanone, a flavone and five flavonols, were included in this study.


METHODS
Characterisation of phytochemicals in extracts was undertaken by automated matching to the UV spectra to those of an in house library of plant secondary metabolites and the authentication of their identity was achieved by reversed phase-high-performance chromatography-diode array detection-atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation/mass selective detection.


RESULTS
Twenty-six phenolics were characterised within 26 min of chromatographic separation in 80% ethanol extracts of 14 Ericaceae plants. The calibration curves were linear within 0.5-880 microg/g dry mass of the plant with regression values better than 0.995. The limits of detection ranged from 0.3 for microg/mL for (+)-catechin to 2.6 microg/mL for chlorogenic acid. This is a first study dealing with relatively large number of Ericaceae extracts and is applicable to other plants of same family.
Laboratory for the Analysis of Natural and Synthetic Environmental Toxins (LANSET), Centre for Research in Biotechnology and Biopharmaceuticals, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N6N5, Canada.
Ammar
A
Saleem
Cory S
CS
Harris
Muhammad
M
Asim
Alain
A
Cuerrier
Louis
L
Martineau
Pierre S
PS
Haddad
John T
JT
Arnason
D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D029791:Ericaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D057230:Limit of Detection; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*