Procyanidins sample fractionation

Fig. 2.114. RP-HPLC profiles of ACTs and SEC fractions (fr.) of ACTs. Each lyophilized sample was dissolved in water (1 mg/ml), and analysed by RP-HPLC. Upper chromatogram RP-HPLC profile of ACTs. Lower chromatograms with fraction numbers RP-HPLC profiles of SEC fractions of ACTs. The numbers of identified peaks in each chromatogram are (1) procyanidin B1 (PB1), (2) (+)-catechin, (3) procyanidin B2 (PB2), (4) procyanidin Cl (PCI), 5 (—)-epicatechin (EC). AU means relative absorbance units (at 280 nm). For details on the RP-HPLC conditions see text. Reprinted with permission from A. Yanagida et al. [253].

The determination of polyphenolics may result in interference due to co-elution of phenolic acids and procyanidins. This problem can be eliminated by fractionation of polyphenolics into acidic and neutral polyphenolics prior to sample injection into the HPLC system. Because the fractionation techniques effectively improve the resolution of many polyphenolic peaks in the reversed-phase HPLC system, it is suggested that further characterization and identification of unknown peaks be conducted by additional methods such as mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. 

Reversed-phase HPLC is used for the analysis of the different groups of phenols, phenolic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoids, and procyanidins in grapes and wines (22,46,47,77-80). However, due to the presence of a large quantities of various compounds, wine analysis is difficult. Thus, different sample preparation procedures, including fractionation and extraction, are often applied when various groups of phenolic compounds are studied together. 

HPLC analysis can be performed by direct injection of the tartrate buffer extract. The chromatographic peaks of catechin and epicatechin are well resolved, but an overlapping of procyanidins and epicatechin gallate with other compounds, may occur. To improve the separation among them, a fractionation of the sample on a C18 cartridge can be performed 5 mL of extract are added of 15 mL H2S04 5 x 10 3M and passed... 

Figure 2.20 Chromatogram relative to analysis of dimer procyanidins in the skins extract (fraction ethyl acetate from C18 cartridge) (sample volume injected 10p,L). 1. procyanidin Bl, 2. procyanidin B3, 3. procyanidin B2...

A major drawback of all functional group assays is that a satisfactory standard does not exist. For a given sample the most appropriate standard is a purified procyanidin fraction prepared from the same matrix. The isolation and characterization of such purified fractions are laborious. Added to that procyanidins undergo oxidation, complexation and self-polymerization very easily, rendering such purified fractions only reproducible to a limited degree. At least in the proanthocyanidin assay the color reaction depends not only on the polyphenols themselves, but also on the matrix. The use of specified proanthocyanidins as a standard in a suitable blank matrix is an attempt to correct for such effects [67],... 

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