Cytohistological and phytochemical study of madder root extracts obtained by ultrasonic and classical extractions.

INTRODUCTION: Madder (Rubia tinctorum) has been used since ancient times as a source of pigments for dyeing and painting. Madder dyes are localised in roots and the native chemical population is composed of glycosiled and aglycone compounds. The aim of this study is to elaborate an efficient extraction process without any chemical denaturation of dyes. OBJECTIVE: To compare an optimised ultrasonic process, using for madder dye extraction, with two conventional procedures and to determine the efficiency of ultrasound on these vegetable matrix. METHODOLOGY: Madder roots were extract in a methanol-water mixture in 37 : 63 (v/v) for ultrasound and 80 : 20 (v/v) for reflux and agitation. HPLC-PAD analyses showed the anthraquinone proportion for each extraction process and their denaturing effects. Finally, cytohistological observations were made to show the consequence of each process on the cell organisation in madder roots. RESULTS: The results showed that the amount of extracted dyes was higher with UAE than with agitation and reflux. HPLC-PAD analysis revealed that the anthraquinone composition differed according to the extraction procedure. The UAE extracts presented an important richness in terms of anthraquinonic compounds that suggests a preserving effect. Cytohistological observations showed that the main alterations concerned the cell walls of phloem. After UAE the walls exhibited numerous pitted areas reflecting an ultrasound-induced cavitation that enhances the extraction effectiveness of this method. CONCLUSION: The study has shown the improvement of madder roots extraction both quantitatively and qualitatively using the efficiency of ultrasound-assisted extraction in comparison with magnetic agitation and reflux techniques.

A multivariate study of the performance of an ultrasound-assisted madder dyes extraction and characterization by liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection.

An extraction method of madder (Rubia tinctorum) roots dyes is established and optimized to obtain the original chemical composition. A central composite design (CCD) was developed to specify the importance of the three major factors studied (time, temperature and solvent composition) affecting the ultrasound-assisted extraction of this matrix. A preliminary granulometric study of madder roots is realized in the aim to determine the optimal particles size corresponding to the best ultrasound effects. A comparison with the classical extraction method of madder dyes by reflux is described. The identification of the constituents of R. tinctorum is carried out by liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector (LC-PDA). Anthraquinonic aglycone and heterosidic dyes compounds are characterized by retention time and UV spectrum: alizarin (1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone), purpurin (1,2,4-trihydroxyanthraquinone), lucidin (1,3-dihydroxy-2-hydroxymethylanthraquinone), rubiadin (1,3-dihydroxy-2-methylanthraquinone), xanthopurpurin (1,3-dihydroxyanthraquinone), pseudopurpurin (1,2,4-trihydroxy-3-carboxyanthraquinone), lucidin primeveroside, ruberythric acid (alizarin primeveroside), galiosin (pseudopurpurin primeveroside) and rubiadin primeveroside. The optimal experimental conditions are 18min, 36 degrees C and 37/63 MeOH/H(2)O (v/v).

Analytical investigation of styrax and benzoin balsams by HPLC- PAD-fluorimetry and GC-MS.

An HPLC and GC study has been conducted on the aromatic oleoresins styrax and benzoin produced by several American, Mediterranean and East-Asian trees, and widely used in ancient civilisations for their therapeutic and odoriferous properties. Initial experiments were performed by HPLC-PAD-fluorimetry for the analysis of several aromatic components, and then completed by GC-MS for the characterisation of both aromatic and triterpenic derivatives. In this work, it was crucial to isolate from fresh natural exudates, and to characterise by two-dimensional NMR, some of the major constituents in order to extend the standard molecular pool prior to chromatographic identifications. This study reveals coniferyl benzoate as an excellent distinctive fluorescent biomarker of Siam benzoin substrate. It also confirms that fluorimetric-coupled detection is a powerful analytical tool for the identification of compounds in Hamamelidaceae extracts that are almost undetectable by UV. GC-MS was successfully applied to the determination of the botanical origin of Sumatra benzoin, and to the identification of lupeol [3beta-lup-20(29)-en-3-ol] for the first time in such balsam-type materials.

Analysis of frankincense in archaeological samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Four archaeological samples, unearthed from Qana in Yemen were analysed by analytical technique, currently applied in the field of petroleum geochemistry, and by gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Sample no 1286 comes from a burned warehouse and samples no 964, 963 and 962 from the central sanctuary. These specimens were probably exposed to a heating source. In each case olibanum resin was identified according to the presence of their chemical markers corresponding to alpha- , beta-boswellic and lupeolic acids (3alpha-hydroxy-olean-12-en-24-oic, 3alpha-hydroxy-urs-12-en-24-oic and 3alpha-hydroxy-lup-20(29)en-24-oic acids) and their respective O-acetyled derivatives (3alpha- O-acetyl-olean-12-en-24-oic, 3alpha-O-acetyl-urs-12-en-24-oic and 3-O-acetyl-lup-20(29)-en-24-oic acids). Concerning the thermal degradation state of samples, the GC-MS results are in agreement with the geochemical ones. Sample no 1286 and 964 correspond to ageing incense which has not undergone any heating action and are consequently relatively well preserved. Lastly, samples no 963 and 962 are thermally degraded resins and their gross composition data permits to conclude that sample no 963 is only partially burnt while sample no 962 has been much more degraded.

Characterization of archaeological frankincense by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A simple gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method has been developed for the characterization of frankincense in archaeological samples. After trimethylsilylation of the methanolic extract, 15 triterpenoids have been found among the chemical constituents of commercial olibanum (alpha-boswellic acid, 3-O-acetyl-alpha-boswellic acid, beta-boswellic acid, 3-O-acetyl-beta-boswellic acid, alpha-amyrin, beta-amyrin, lupeol, 3-epi-beta-amyrin, 3-epi-beta-amyrin, 3-epi-lupeol, alpha-amyrenone, beta-amyrenone, lupenone, 3alpha-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-24-oic acid and 3-O-acetyl-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-24-oic acid). These compounds have been unequivocally identified by retention time and mass spectral comparison with pure standards previously isolated, for the most part, in our laboratory. Within these triterpenes, acid ones, the corresponding O-acetates, and their products of degradation were found to be characteristic of frankincense (Boswellia resin). The presence of these unusual triterpenic compounds in an archaeological resinous sample, recovered during excavations from Dahshour site (Egypt, XIIth Dynasty), enabled us to identify unambiguously frankincense resin among several other materials. Additional chromatographic peaks of this sample were assigned to broad chemical classes using retention time and mass spectra features.

A lupane triterpene from frankincense (Boswellia sp., Burseraceae).

A new lupane-type triterpene, 3alpha-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-24-oic acid, was isolated from the methanolic extract of "Erytrean-type" resin of commercial frankincense together with the known 3alpha-hydroxy-olean-12-en-24-oic acid (alpha-boswellic acid) and 3alpha-hydroxy-urs-12-en-24-oic acid (beta-boswellic acid). Their structures were characterized on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence including two dimensional NMR experiments and mass spectrometric techniques.