Variation of theanine, phenolic, and methylxanthine compounds in 21 cultivars of Camellia sinensis harvested in different seasons.

This is the first study to use chemometric methods to differentiate among 21 cultivars of Camellia sinensis from China and between leaves harvested at different times of the year using 30 compounds implicated in the taste and quality of tea. Unique patterns of catechin derivatives were observed among cultivars and across harvest seasons. C. sinensis var. pubilimba (You 510) differed from the cultivars of C. sinensis var. sinensis, with higher levels of theobromine, (+)-catechin, gallocatechin, gallocatechin gallate and theasinensin B, and lower levels of (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), respectively. Three cultivars of C. sinensis var. sinensis, Fuyun 7, Qiancha 7 and Zijuan contained significantly more caffeoylquinic acids than others cultivars. A Linear Discriminant Analysis model based on the abundance of 12 compounds was able to discriminate amongst all 21 tea cultivars. Harvest time impacted the abundance of EGC, theanine and afzelechin gallate.

Phenylethanoid glycosides in tepals of Magnolia salicifolia and their occurrence in flowers of Magnoliaceae.

Phenylethanoid glycosides were among the major UV-absorbing components in 80% aq. CH3OH extracts of the tepals of Magnolia salicifolia (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim. (Magnoliaceae; Magnolia subgenus Yulania). Structural characterisation of isolated compounds by spectroscopic and chemical methods revealed three previously unrecorded examples, yulanoside A, yulanoside B and 2'-rhamnoechinacoside, and the known compounds echinacoside and crassifolioside; chromatographic methods also identified verbascoside in the tepal extract. Yulanoside A is the first reported example of a phenylethanoid pentaglycoside, namely hydroxytyrosol 1-O-{ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-[3,4-dihydroxycinnamoyl-(→4)][α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)][α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)]-ß-D-glucopyranoside}. A survey of Magnolia sensu lato and Liriodendron (the two genera of Magnoliaceae) suggested that yulanoside A and its deglucosyl derivative (yulanoside B) were a feature of the tepal chemistry of Magnolia subgenus Yulania (except Magnolia acuminata, the sole member of section Tulipastrum, which did not accumulate phenylethanoid glycosides). The two species of Liriodendron and examined examples of Magnolia subgenus Magnolia sections Magnolia and Rytidospermum (subsection Oyama) also accumulated phenylethanoid glycosides in their tepals and in these species, and in subgenus Yulania, the major compounds were one or more of echinacoside, 2'-rhamnoechinacoside, crassifolioside and verbascoside. Levels of phenylethanoid glycosides were found to be much lower in species studied from Magnolia sections Gwillimia, Macrophylla and Rytidospermum (subsection Rytidospermum), although yulanoside A was detectable in M. macrophylla and this may have some bearing on the placement of section Macrophylla, which is currently uncertain. In the isolates of yulanoside B and echinacoside, minor phenylethanoid glycosides were determined to be analogues of these compounds with ß-D-xylose at C-3' of the primary glucose rather than α-L-rhamnose.

Phenolic profile characterization of Chemlali olive stones by liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry.

Aqueous methanol extracts of Chemlali olive stones were analyzed by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detection and mass spectrometry [LC-MS/MS]. Oleoside, oleoside 11-methyl ester, nuezhenide, oleoside 11-methyloleoside, nuezhenide 11-methyloleoside, oleuropein, and glycosides of tryosol and hydroxytyrosol glycosides were identified in stones of Chemali olives. The antioxidant activity observed for the extract of the olive stones (IC50 = 13.84 µg/mL, TEAC = 0.436 mM) may be due to the high content of phenolic compounds, of which the main compounds are nuezhenide (325.78 mg/100g), methoxy derivative of nuezhenide (132.46 mg/100g), and nuezhenide-11-methyloleoside (82.91 mg/100g). These results suggest the use of olive stones as sources of natural antioxidants.

Enhanced profiling of flavonol glycosides in the fruits of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides).

Use of enhanced LC-MS/MS methods to identify common glycosyl groups of flavonoid glycosides enabled better characterization of the flavonoids in fruits of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides). The saccharide moieties of 48 flavonol O-glycosides detected in a methanol extract were identified by these methods. Several of the flavonol glycosides were acylated, two of which were isolated and found to be new compounds. Their structures were determined using spectroscopic and chemical methods as isorhamnetin 3-O-(6-O-E-sinapoyl-ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→2)-ß-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (24) and isorhamnetin 3-O-(6-O-E-feruloyl-ß-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→2)-ß-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (30). Analysis of the acylated glycosyl groups of 24 and 30 by serial mass spectrometry provided evidence to suggest the acylation position of 11 other minor flavonol glycosides acylated with hydroxycinnamic or hydroxybenzoic acids. The nitric oxide scavenging activities of 24 and 30 were compared with those of other flavonoids and with ascorbic acid and the potassium salt of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1H-imidazolyl-1-oxy-3-oxide (carboxy-PTIO).

Acyl spermidines in inflorescence extracts of elder (Sambucus nigra L., Adoxaceae) and elderflower drinks.

LC-UV-MS analyses of inflorescence extracts of Sambucus nigra L. (elder, Adoxaceae) revealed the presence of numerous acyl spermidines, with isomers of N,N-diferuloylspermidine and N-acetyl-N,N-diferuloylspermidine being most abundant. Pollen was the main source of the acyl spermidines in the inflorescence. Three of the major acyl spermidines were isolated and their structures determined by NMR spectroscopy as N5,N¹°-di-(E,E)-feruloylspermidine and the new compounds N¹-acetyl-N5,N¹°-di-(Z,E)-feruloylspermidine and N¹-acetyl-N5,N¹°-di-(E,E)-feruloylspermidine. An isomer of N,N,N-triferuloylspermidine was also obtained and identified as N¹,N5,N¹°-tri-(E,E,E)-feruloylspermidine. In addition to stereoisomers of the isolated acyl spermidines, other acyl spermidines detected by the positive ion LC-UV-MS were isomers of N-caffeoyl-N,N-diferuloylspermidine, N-coumaroyl-N,N-diferuloylspermidine, N-caffeoyl-N-feruloylspermidine, N-coumaroyl-N-feruloylspermidine, N-acetyl-N-caffeoyl-N-feruloylspermidine, and N-acetyl-N-coumaroyl-N-feruloylspermidine. Analysis of commercial elderflower drinks showed that acyl spermidines were persistent in these processed elderflower products. Examination of inflorescence extracts from Sambucus canadensis L. (American elder) revealed the presence of acyl spermidines that were different from those of S. nigra.

Highly glycosylated flavonols with an O-linked branched pentasaccharide from Iberis saxatilis (Brassicaceae).

Four flavonol glycosides isolated from non-flowering leafy shoots of Iberis saxatilis (Brassicaceae) were characterised by spectroscopic and chemical methods as saxatilisins A-D, the 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)[ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-ß-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-ß-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-(6-O-E-sinapoyl)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)[ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-ß-D-glucopyranoside, and 3-O-(6-O-E-feruloyl)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)[ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)]-ß-D-glucopyranoside of isorhamnetin (3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxy-3'-methoxyflavone), respectively. Analysis of (2)J(HC) correlations detected with the H2BC (heteronuclear two-bond correlation) pulse sequence aided the unambiguous assignment of glycosidic resonances in the (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of these compounds. Saxatilisins A, C, and D, are the first flavonol glycosides to be described with a pentasaccharide chain at a single glycosylation site. Several pentaglycosides of kaempferol and quercetin, tentatively assigned as saxatilisin analogues from LC-MS/MS analyses, were present as minor constituents of the extracts.

Flavonol glycosides acylated with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid as systematic characters in Rosa.

LC-UV-MS/MS analysis of leaf extracts from 146 accessions of 71 species of Rosa revealed that some taxa accumulated flavonol O-glycosides acylated with 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric acid, which are relatively uncommon in plants. The structures of two previously unrecorded examples isolated from Rosa spinosissima L. (syn. Rosa pimpinellifolia L.) were elucidated using spectroscopic and chemical methods as the 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-[6-O-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl)-ß-D-galactopyranosides] of kaempferol (3,5,7,4'-tetrahydroxyflavone) and quercetin (3,5,7,3',4'-pentahydroxyflavone). The corresponding 3-O-[6-O-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl)-ß-D-galactopyranoside] of quercetin was also present in R. spinosissima, but at lower levels, together with 17 other flavonol O-glycosides for which structures were assigned using LC-UV-MS/MS. The distribution of flavonol 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylgalactosides in Rosa was limited to some species of subgenus Rosa section Pimpinellifoliae and Rosa roxburghii Sw. of the monotypic subgenus Platyrhodon, indicating that this character could be of value in phylogenetic analyses of the genus.

Glycosylated constituents of iris fulva and Iris brevicaulis.

The major constituents of leaf extracts of Iris fulva KER GAWL. comprised a known flavone C-glycoside, 5,4'-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone-6-C-(6‴-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-ß-glucopyranosyl)(1‴→2″)-ß-glucopyranoside (1) and the new monoterpene glycoside, linalyl-6'-O-(3″-hydroxy-3″-methylglutaroyl)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2), both of which were prominent components of Iris brevicaulis RAF. leaf extracts. The structure of a new polyacylated sucrose derivative (3a) obtained from the rhizomes of I. fulva was elucidated as 3-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-ß-D-fructofuranosyl-(2↔1')-[2″,4″,6″-tri-O-acetyl-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1″→3')-(2',6'-di-O-acetyl-4'-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-α-D-glucopyranoside)]. Selective hydrolysis of the 4″-O-acetyl moiety of the terminal ß-glucopyranosyl residue of 3a occurred after several hours in solution giving 3-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-ß-D-fructofuranosyl-(2↔1')-[2″,6″-di-O-acetyl-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1″→3')-(2',6'-di-O-acetyl-4'-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl-α-D-glucopyranoside)] (3b), which subsequently underwent further deacetylation.

Chromatographic behaviour of steroidal saponins studied by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The chromatographic behaviour of steroidal saponins found in Anemarrhena asphodeloides, Asparagus officinalis, Convallaria majalis, Digitalis purpurea and Ruscus aculeatus was studied by HPLC-MS using a C-18 reversed-phase column and aqueous acetonitrile or aqueous methanol mobile phase gradients, with or without the addition of 1% acetic acid. The behaviour was compared to that of triterpene saponins found in Aesculus hippocastanum, Centella asiatica, Panax notoginseng and Potentilla tormentilla. Inclusion of methanol in the mobile phase under acidic conditions was found to cause furostanol saponins hydroxylated at C-22 to chromatograph as broad peaks, whereas the peak shapes of the spirostanol saponins and triterpene saponins studied remained acceptable. In aqueous methanol mobile phases without the addition of acid, furostanol saponins chromatographed with good peak shape, but each C-22 hydroxylated furostanol saponin was accompanied by a second chromatographic peak identified as its C-22 methyl ether. Methanolic extracts analysed in non-acidified aqueous acetonitrile mobile phases also resolved pairs of C-22 hydroxy and C-22 methoxy furostanol saponins. The C-22 methyl ether of deglucoruscoside was found to convert to deglucoruscoside during chromatography in acidified aqueous acetonitrile, or by dissolving in water. Poor chromatography of furostanol saponins in acidified aqueous methanol is due to the interconversion of the C-22 hydroxy and C-22 methoxy forms. It is recommended that initial analysis of saponins by HPLC-MS using a C-18 stationary phase is performed using acidified aqueous acetonitrile mobile phase gradients. The existence of naturally-occurring furostanol saponins methoxylated at C-22 can be investigated with aqueous acetonitrile mobile phases and avoiding methanol in the extraction solvent.

Data-directed scan sequence for the general assignment of C-glycosylflavone O-glycosides in plant extracts by liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry.

An ion trap LC-MS/MS method is described for the analysis of C-glycosylflavone O-glycosides in crude methanolic extracts of plants. The method employs survey scans with and without the application of up-front collision induced dissociation (CID) to generate diagnostic ions for data-directed MS/MS. The spectra acquired allow assignment of the C-linked sugar to either the C-6 or C-8 position of the aglycone and provide data on the molecular mass of the compound, the number and type of O-linked sugars and the molecular mass of the flavone aglycone. These data for the majority of C-glycosylflavone O-glycosides in an extract are obtained automatically in one LC-MS/MS analysis without manual pre-programming. Key to the assignment of the C-6 or C-8 site of C-glycosylation is the generation, by up-front CID, of the (0,1)X+ product ion formed by internal cleavage of the C-linked sugar. MS/MS of this ion is found to have diagnostic value in addition to the (0,2)X+ product ion described by other authors. Ion trap MS/MS spectra of [M+H]+ of the 6,8-di-C-glycosylflavones schaftoside and isoschaftoside show an additional and previously unreported diagnostic product ion that is useful in determining the type of sugar at the C-6 position. The product ion spectra of protonated kaempferol 3-O-glucosylrhamnosides show similarities to the spectra of C-glycosylflavone O-glycosides; this is a potential source of confusion if the analysis of such glycosides is limited solely to MS/MS of [M+H]+.