title: Analysis of the diastereoisomers of alliin by HPLC.
abstract: Garlic has been known for its therapeutic effects for centuries and is used worldwide as a functional food. The concentration of the active molecules could be enhanced by a better knowledge of their biosynthesis. The precursor of these compounds, alliin (a sulfur amino-acid) has been obtained by chemical synthesis. However, this synthesis route also leads to a diastereoisomer as co-product. This work describes the development of an analytical method which allows the separation and quantification of the two diastereoisomers in order to determine in which proportion the natural form can be produced. The HPLC method which was optimized and validated by accuracy profile exploits an original stationary phase consisting of porous graphitic carbon (PGC). Furthermore, the developped method was used to separate the diastereoisomers of methiin, another cysteine sulfoxide, and to analyze an aqueous extract of garlic. The ability to quantify the amount of natural alliin is valuable for further work on garlic molecules and their application for health protection.
authors.affiliation: Unit of General and Organic Chemistry, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium. berenice.dethier@gmail.com
authors.forename: Bérénice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dethier
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laloux
authors.forename: Emilien
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanon
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nott
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heuskin
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wathelet
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: C006453:alliin; D003545:Cysteine