title: UPLC-QTOF/MS for a rapid characterisation of phenolic compounds from leaves of Myrtus communis L.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although continuous research has been conducted on the biological activities of myrtle and the characterisation of its essential oil, few studies have focused on its phenolic composition despite major beneficial properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To carry out a comprehensive characterisation of infusion and methanolic extract from myrtle leaves by UPLC-QTOF/MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Myrtle-leaf infusions, prepared using deionised water, and the methanolic extracts were analysed by reversed-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to electrospray ionisation quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI/QTOF/MS). The MS and MS/MS experiments were conducted using the negative-ionisation mode, in order to provide molecular-mass information and production spectra of the compounds for structural elucidation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analytical method applied enabled the characterisation of several compounds such as gallic acid and galloyl derivatives, ellagic acid and derivatives, hexahydroxydiphenolyl and derivatives, flavonoids, lignans and gallomyrtucommulones. Flavonoids, ellagic acid and its derivatives and gallic acid and its derivatives formed the major fractions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  UPLC combined with QTOF/MS is a powerful analytical method for characterising infusions and alcoholic extracts from myrtle leaves.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biotechnologie de l'olivier, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj Cedria, BP 901, 2050, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taamalli
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Iswaldi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arráez-Román
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Segura-Carretero
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Mokhtar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zarrouk
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D004610:Ellagic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D017705:Lignans / Q000032:analysis; D031651:Myrtus / Q000737:chemistry*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D017705:Lignans; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D004610:Ellagic Acid; D005707:Gallic Acid
keywords: UPLC-QTOF/MS/MS; myrtle; phenolic compounds