Rapid fractionation of grape seed proanthocyanidins.

A rapid method that permits separation of grape seed proanthocyanidins according to their polymerization degrees has been developed. This method was based on liquid/liquid extraction and relative solubility of these compounds in different solvents (water, ethyle acetate, methanol, and chloroform). The different fractions obtained were then analyzed by various HPLC techniques (normal phase, reversed phase after thiolysis, and gel permeation) to determine their mean degree of polymerization (DP) and molecular weight profiles. Results show that this method can be used on a preparative scale to separate these polymers according to their sizes.