Determination of flavonol aglycones in Ginkgo biloba dietary supplement crude materials and finished products by high-performance liquid chromatography: single laboratory validation

A single laboratory validation (SLV) was completed for a method to determine the flavonol aglycones quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin in Ginkgo biloba products. The method calculates total glycosides based on these aglycones formed following acid hydrolysis. Nine matrixes were chosen for the study, including crude leaf material, standardized dry powder extract, single and multiple entity finished products, and ethanol and glycerol tinctures. For the 9 matrixes evaluated as part of this SLV, the method appeared to be selective and specific, with no observed interferences. The simplified 60 min oven heating hydrolysis procedure was effective for each of the matrixes studied, with no apparent or consistent differences between 60, 75, and 90 min at 90 degrees C. A Youden ruggedness trial testing 7 factors with the potential to affect quantitative results showed that 2 factors (volume hydrolyzed and test sample extraction/hydrolysis weight) were the most important parameters for control during sample preparation. The method performed well in terms of precision, with 4 matrixes tested in triplicate over a 3-day period showing an overall repeatability (relative standard deviation, RSD) of 2.3%. Analysis of variance testing at alpha = 0.05 showed no significant differences among the within- or between-group sources of variation, although comparisons of within-day (Sw), between-day (Sb), and total (St) precision showed that a majority of the standard deviation came from within-day determinations for all matrixes. Accuracy testing at 2 levels (approximately 30 and 90% of the determined concentrations in standardized dry powder extract) from 2 complex negative control matrixes showed an overall 96% recovery and RSD of 1.0% for the high spike, and 94% recovery and RSD of 2.5% for the low spike. HorRat scores were within the limits for performance acceptability, ranging from 0.4 to 1.3. Based on the performance results presented herein, it is recommended that this method progress to the collaborative laboratory trial.     

Simultaneous quantification of terpenelactones and flavonol aglycones in hydrolyzed ginkgo biloba extract by liquid chromatography with inline ultraviolet and evaporative light scattering detection

We report here a liquid chromatography (LC) method with inline ultraviolet/evaporative light scattering (UV/ELS) detection for the simultaneous quantification of the terpenelactones and flavonol aglycones in a single sample of hydrolyzed Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE). The sample is hydrolyzed by a rapid and convenient oven heating method for 1 h at 90 degrees C with 10% hydrochloric acid. The 1 h hydrolysis was found to be equivalent to the 2.25 h reflux treatment for dry powder extract, where total flavonol glycosides were 28.4 and 28.1%, respectively. Acceptable precision was achieved for total terpenelactones [relative standard deviation (RSD) = 4.8%] by ELS detection, and total flavonol aglycones (RSD = 2.3%) by UV detection. The analytical range was 1.5 to 7.3% (w/w) for the individual terpenelactones (ELS) and 2.5 to 15.0% (w/w) for the individual glycosides (UV) calculated from the aglycones quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. This improved method allows for the first time high throughput sample preparation coupled with the quantification of the predominant compounds generally used for quality control of GBE in a single assay.     

Rapid microwave-assisted hydrolysis for determination of ginkgo flavonol glycosides in extracts of Ginkgo biloba leaves

A rapid microwave-assisted hydrolysis (MAH) method is presented for the sample pretreatment of the determination of ginkgo flavonol glycosides in extracts of Ginkgo biloba L. (EGb). By this method, flavonol glycosides can be completely hydrolyzed within 2 min. After investigating the effects of solvents, acidity, microwave power, and microwave radiation time on hydrolysis, the optimal hydrolysis conditions are as follows: 300 W of microwave power, 2 min of hydrolysis time, 5.7% of hydrochloric acid in the hydrolysis solution, and n-propanol as the hydrolysis solvent. After MAH of the samples, three flavonol aglycones, such as quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin are analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Compared with conventional reflux hydrolysis, this method owns offers several advantages: it saves time, costs less, and is environmentally friendly.     

Forced Degradation of Flavonol Glycosides Extraced from Ginkgo biloba

The degradation of flavonol glycosides extracted from Ginkgo biloba was performed under different conditions and the degraded products were determined by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method. Four stress conditions including acid(0.1 mol/L HCl), base(0.1 mol/L NaOH), temperature (70 ℃) and oxidation(0.03% H₂O₂, volume fraction) were used for the forced degradation studies. The pH stabilities of the flavonol glycosides were determined in phosphate buffers of varying pH values from 4.5 to 7.4. The degradation rate constants and half-life of three Ginkgo flavonol aglycones(quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin) which represent Ginkgo flavonol glycosides were calculated in forced degradation and pH-stability studies of them. The results indicate that the three substances were more stable when incubated under acid condition and showed pH-dependent stability. The degradation was observed to follow first-order kinetics in all degradation studies. The stability results could provide important bases on development, preparation and storage of products of Ginkgo biloba extract and should be significantly considered during the further formulation development.     

Analysis of flavonol aglycones and terpenelactones in Ginkgo biloba extract: A comparison of high-performance thin-layer chromatography and column high-performance liquid chromatography

Advancements in automated high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) have made it feasible to assess its use for the quantitative analysis of marker compounds in botanical preparations. We report here the findings of method comparisons for the terpenelactones and flavonol aglycones by column high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with evaporative light scattering and UV detection, and HPTLC with a scanning densitometer. For the HPTLC assay of terpenelactones, total bilobalide, ginkgolide A, and ginkgolide B consistently achieved <70% of the total determined using HPLC, regardless of variations to postchromatographic derivatization time and temperature. Accuracy testing showed the possibility of a matrix interference. In contrast, a good relationship (95%) was determined between HPTLC and HPLC for determination of total flavonol glycosides (calculated from combined quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin) from an acid-hydrolyzed Ginkgo biloba L. (GBE) sample. The HPTLC flavonol aglycone method also performed well in terms of accuracy (overall average of 96% recovery for the 3 aglycones) and consecutive plate repeatability (overall percent relative standard deviation of 4.4). It is demonstrated that HPTLC can be a time-saving complement to HPLC for routine analysis of the flavonol glycosides in GBE.     

Chemical analysis of Ginkgo biloba leaves and extracts

The chemical analysis and quality control of Ginkgo leaves and extracts is reviewed. Important constituents present in the medicinally used leaves are the terpene trilactones, i.e., ginkgolides A, B, C, J and bilobalide, many flavonol glycosides, biflavones, proanthocyanidins, alkylphenols, simple phenolic acids, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols. In the commercially important Ginkgo extracts some of these compound classes are no longer present. Many publications deal with the analysis of the unique terpene trilactones. They can be extracted with aqueous acetone or aqueous methanol but also supercritical fluid extraction is possible. Still somewhat problematic is their sample clean-up. Various procedures, not all of them validated, employing partitioning or SPE have been proposed. Some further development in this area can be foreseen. Separation and detection can be routinely carried out by HPLC with RI, ELSD or MS, or with GC-FID after silylation. TLC is another possibility. No quantitative procedure for flavonol glycosides has been published so far due their difficult separation and commercial unavailability. Fingerprint analysis by gradient RP-HPLC is possible. After acidic hydrolysis to the aglycones quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin and separation by HPLC, quantitation is straightforward and yields by recalculation an estimation of the original total flavonol glycoside content. For biflavones, simple phenols, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols analytical procedures have been published but not all assays are yet ideal. Lately a there is a lot of interest in the analysis of the undesired alkylphenols and a few validated procedures have been published. The analysis of Ginkgo proanthocyanidins is still in its infancy and no reliable assays exist.     

油菜蜂花粉黄酮含量的HPLC测定

以95％乙醇为溶剂,采用索氏提取器提取青海产油菜蜂花粉中的黄酮类化合物,将黄酮提取物中的黄酮甙水解为黄酮甙元后,利用HPLC法测定其中槲皮素、山萘酚、异鼠李素含量。结果表明,青海油菜蜂花粉中槲皮素、山萘酚、异鼠李素的平均含量分别为0．928％、0．295％、0．0834％,换算成总黄酮含量为3．28％。     

Application of reverse-flow micellar electrokinetic chromatography for the simultaneous determination of flavonols and terpene trilactones in Ginkgo biloba dosage forms

A reverse-flow micellar electrokinetic chromatographic (RF-MEKC) method was developed for the simultaneous qualitative determination of 10 components consisting of the flavonol glycosides, rutin and quercitrin, the flavonol aglycones, isorhamnetin, kaempferol and quercetin, the terpene trilactones, ginkgolides A, B, C and J and the sesquiterpene, bilobalide. This method was used to fingerprint Ginkgo biloba solid oral dosage forms and validated for the quantitation of the marker compounds, rutin and quercetin in some commercial products. In addition to the usual variables, the influence of some essential background electrolyte (BGE) components such as sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and -cyclodextrin concentrations were investigated. A polyimide fused-silica square capillary column (75 microm I.D. x 360 microm O.D.) with a total length of 60.0 cm and effective length of 45.0 cm was used for the separation. The final BGE consisted of 20 mM phosphoric acid, 40 mM SDS and 12 mM -cyclodextrin (pH 2.2) using reverse polarity with a voltage of -17.5 kV. Samples were injected electrokinetically at -5 kV for 3 s for the qualitative analysis and hydrodynamically at 20 mbar for 0.6 s for the quantitative assay. The total run time was 22 min and the limits of detection were 3.13 microg/ml and 1.88 microg/ml for rutin and quercetin, respectively. Fingerprint profiles of the solid oral dosage forms and the results of the quantitative analysis indicated that there were major discrepancies in the marker content between products and illustrates the value of this method for use as a procedure to assess product quality of commercially available Ginkgo biloba products.     

Chemical analysis and quality control of Ginkgo biloba leaves,extracts, and phytopharmaceuticals

The chemical analysis and quality control of Ginkgo leaves, extracts, phytopharmaceuticals and some herbal supplements is comprehensively reviewed. The review is an update of a similar, earlier review in this journal [T.A. van Beek, J. Chromatogr. A 967 (2002) 21–55]. Since 2001 over 3000 papers on Ginkgo biloba have appeared, and about 400 of them pertain to chemical analysis in a broad sense and are cited herein. The more important ones are discussed and, where relevant, compared with the best methods published prior to 2002. In the same period over 2500 patents were filed on Ginkgo and the very few related to analysis are mentioned as well. Important constituents include terpene trilactones, i.e. ginkgolide A, B, C, J and bilobalide, flavonol glycosides, biflavones, proanthocyanidins, alkylphenols, simple phenolic acids, 6-hydroxykynurenic acid, 4-O-methylpyridoxine and polyprenols. In the most common so-called “standardised” Ginkgo extracts and phytopharmaceuticals several of these classes are no longer present. About 130 new papers deal with the analysis of the terpene trilactones. They are mostly extracted with methanol or water or mixtures thereof. Supercritical fluid extraction and pressurised water extraction are also possible. Sample clean-up is mostly by liquid–liquid extraction with ethyl acetate although no sample clean-up at all in combination with LC/MS/MS is gaining in importance. Separation and detection can be routinely carried out by RP-HPLC with ELSD, RI or MS, or by GC/FID or GC/MS after silylation. Hydrolysis followed by LC/MS allows the simultaneous analysis of terpene trilactones and flavonol aglycones. No quantitative procedure for all major flavonol glycosides has yet been published because they are not commercially available. The quantitation of a few available glycosides has been carried out but does not serve a real purpose. After acidic hydrolysis to the aglycones quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin and separation by HPLC, quantitation is straightforward and yields by recalculation an estimation of the original total flavonol glycoside content. A profile of the genuine flavonol glycosides can detect poor storage or adulteration. Although the toxicity of Ginkgo alkylphenols upon oral administration has never been undoubtedly proven, most suppliers limit their content in extracts to 5 ppm and dozens of papers on their analysis were published. One procedure in which a methanolic extract is directly injected on a C8 HPLC column appears superior in terms of sensitivity (<5 ppm), separation, simplicity and validation and will be incorporated in the European Pharmacopoeia. Alternatively GC/MS and ELISA methods can be used. A sharp contrast to the plethora of papers on terpene trilactones, flavonol glycosides, and ginkgolic acids forms the low number of papers on biflavones, proanthocyanidins, simple phenolics, simple acids, and other constituents that make up the remaining 70% of Ginkgo standardised extracts. More research in this direction is clearly needed. For the analysis of Ginkgo proanthocyanidins (7%) for instance, no reliable assays are yet existing. Finally the growing literature on pharmacokinetic and fingerprinting studies of Ginkgo is briefly summarised.     

Direct identification of phenolic constituents in Boldo Folium (Peumus boldus Mol.) infusions by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A very simple and direct method was developed for the qualitative analysis of polyphenols in boldo (Peumus boldus Mol., Monimiaceae) leaves infusions by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MSⁿ). The phenolic constituents identified in infusions of the crude drug Boldo Folium were mainly proanthocyanidins and flavonol glycosides. In the infusions, 41 compounds were detected in male and 43 compounds in female leaf samples, respectively. Nine quercetin glycosides, eight kaempferol derivatives, nine isorhamnetin glycosides, three phenolic acids, one caffeoylquinic acid glycoside and twenty one proanthocyanidins were identified by HPLC-DAD and ESI-MS for the first time in the crude drug. Isorhamnetin glucosyl-di-rhamnoside was the most abundant flavonol glycoside in the male boldo sample, whereas isorhamnetin di-glucosyl-di-rhamnoside was the main phenolic compound in female boldo leaves infusion. The results suggest that the medicinal properties reported for this popular infusion should be attributed not only to the presence of catechin and boldine but also to several phenolic compounds with known antioxidant activity. The HPLC fingerprint obtained can be useful in the authentication of the crude drug Boldo Folium as well as for qualitative analysis and differentiation of plant populations in the tree distribution range.     

Analysis of heartsease (Viola tricolor L.) flavonoid glycosides by micro-liquid chromatography coupled to multistage mass spectrometry

Micro-liquid chromatography (microLC) in conjunction with multistage mass spectrometry (MSn) was introduced to study several major heartsease flavonoid glycosides. High-resolution microLC separation was achieved by using a monolithic poly(p-methylstyrene-co-1,2-bis(p-vinylphenyl)ethane) column under reversed-phase conditions. The MS/MS and MS3 analysis of the flavonoid components of interest provided data about their glycosylation type and position, nature of their aglycones, and the structure/linkage information of their glycan moieties. With our microLC-MSn approach, four flavonol O-glycosides, nine flavone-C-glycosides, and three flavone C,O-glycosides were characterized in heartsease methanol extract. All of these glycoconjugates were found to be the derivatives of six aglycones: apigenin, chrysoeriol, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and quercetin.     

Characterisation of flavonols in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) by liquid chromatography-uV diode-array detection-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

The flavonoid composition of broccoli inflorescences has been studied by LC/UV-DAD/ESI-MSn. A large number of hydroxycinnamic acid esters of kaempferol and quercetin glucosides has been characterised. The structures of the flavonoid glycosides were analysed after alkaline hydrolysis, and were identified as 3-sophoroside/sophorotrioside-7-glucoside/sophoroside of kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin (this last found in trace amount). These complex quercetin and isorhamnetin glucosides have not been previously characterised in nature. In addition, several less complex glucosides based on the same aglycones have been identified. The effect of sugar substitution and acylation on chromatographic mobility and ESI ionisation and fragmentation are discussed.     

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis allows the simultaneous characterization of C-glycosyl and O-glycosyl flavonoids in stingless bee honeys

The analysis of the phytochemicals present in stingless bee honey samples has been a difficult task due to the small amounts of samples available and to the complexity of the phytochemical composition that often combines flavonoid glycosides and aglycones. Honey samples produced in Venezuela from Melipona species were analyzed using a combination of solid-phase extraction and HPLC-DAD-MSn/ESI methodologies with specific study of the fragment ions produced from flavonoid glycosides. The analyses revealed that flavonoid glycosides were the main constituents. The honey samples analyzed contained a consistent flavonoid pattern composed of flavone-C-glycosides, flavonol-O-glycosides and flavonoid aglycones. The HPLC-DAD-MSn/ESI analysis and the study of the fragment ions obtained allowed the characterization and quantification for the first time of five apigenin-di-C-glycosides, and ten quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin O-glycosides (di- and tri- glycosides), and the aglycones pinobanksin, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin in the different samples. This is the first report of flavonoid-C-glycosides in honey. The results show that the content of flavonoid-glycosides (mean values of 2712 μg/100 g) in stingless bee honeys is considerably higher than the content of flavonoid aglycones (mean values of 315 μg/100 g). This differs from previous studies on Apis mellifera honeys that consistently showed much higher aglycone content and smaller flavonoid glycoside content. The occurrence of relevant amounts of flavonoid glycosides, and particularly C-glycosides, in stingless bee honeys could be associated with their putative anticataract properties.     

HPLC Separation of O-Acylated Flavonoids and Biflavones from Some Species of Gymnospermae

Flavonoids present in the extracts from leaves of Pseudotsuga menziesii (Pinaceae), Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoaceae) and Podocarpus dacrydioides (Podocarpaceae) were separated by use of the reversed phase HPLC method. The analysed compounds belong to different groups of flavonoids – biflavones (amentoflavone, bilobetin, 5–methoxybilobetin, podocarpusflavone A, sequoiaflavone, podocarpusflavone B, ginkgetin, isoginkgetin, sciadopitysin, kayaflavone, hinokiflavone, 2,3–dihydrosciadopitysin, 2,3–dihydroisoginkgetin), O–acylated flavonol glycosides (daglesiosides I, II, III, IV, trans–tiliroside, trans–ditiliroside), flavonol O–glycosides (astragalin, isoquercetin) and flavonol aglycones (kaempferol, quercetin, isorhamnetin). The conditions for flavonoid separation were optimized using various RP–18 columns. The chromatographic resolution was performed with isocratic or gradient elution – optimized by Drylab program or by traditional trial-and-error method, depending on the composition of flavonoid complex.     

Heart-cutting two-dimensional (size exclusion × reversed phase) liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of flavonol glycosides from leaves of Maytenus ilicifolia

Two-dimensional liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was employed to analyze flavonol glycosides present in leaves of Maytenus ilicifolia, frequently used in traditional Brazilian medicine. Since they contain many flavonol glycosides, including isomers, one-dimensional liquid chromatography did not give complete separation and identification, yielding overlapping of compounds with different molecular weights. Thus, employing size exclusion chromatography in the first and reversed phase in the second dimension, a great number of flavonol glycosides could be identified and its relative abundances determined. The majority of glycosides contained kaempferol or quercetin as aglycones, and glycosides with previously unreported structures were also present and characterized.     

Identification of complex,naturally occurring flavonoid glycosides in kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica) by high‐performance liquid chromatography diode‐array detection/electrospray ionization multi‐stage mass spectrometry

Kale is a member of the Brassicaceae family and has a complex profile of flavonoid glycosides. Therefore, kale is a suitable matrix to discuss in a comprehensive study the different fragmentation patterns of flavonoid glycosides. The wide variety of glycosylation and acylation patterns determines the health‐promoting effects of these glycosides. The aim of this study is to investigate the naturally occurring flavonoids in kale. A total of 71 flavonoid glycosides of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin were identified using a high‐performance liquid chromatography diode‐array detection/electrospray ionization multi‐stage mass spectrometry (HPLC‐DAD/ESI‐MSⁿ) method. Of these 71 flavonol glycosides, 27 were non‐acylated, 30 were monoacylated and 14 were diacylated. Non‐acylated flavonol glycosides were present as mono‐, di‐, tri‐ and tetraglycosides. This is the first time that the occurrence of four different fragmentation patterns of non‐acylated flavonol triglycosides has been reported in one matrix simultaneously. In addition, 44 flavonol glycosides were acylated with p‐coumaric, caffeic, ferulic, hydroxyferulic or sinapic acid. While monoacylated glycosides existed as di‐, tri‐ and tetraglycosides, diacylated glycosides occurred as tetra‐ and pentaglycosides. To the best of our knowledge, 28 compounds in kale are reported here for the first time. These include three acylated isorhamnetin glycosides (isorhamnetin‐3‐O‐sinapoyl‐sophoroside‐7‐O‐D‐glucoside, isorhamnetin‐3‐O‐feruloyl‐sophoroside‐7‐O‐diglucoside and isorhamnetin‐3‐O‐disinapoyl‐triglucoside‐7‐O‐diglucoside) and seven non‐acylated isorhamnetin glycosides. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of hydrastine and berberine in goldenseal raw materials, extracts, and dietary supplements by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV: collaborative study

A multilaboratory collaborative study was conducted on a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method utilizing UV detection, previously validated using AOAC single-laboratory validation guidelines for determination of hydrastine and berberine in goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) raw materials, extracts, and dietary supplements at levels ranging from 0.4 to 6% (w/w). Nine collaborating laboratories determined the hydrastine and berberine content in 8 blind samples. Sample materials included powdered botanical raw materials, whole root material, and 4 finished product dietary supplements containing either goldenseal powdered root material or extract. The materials were extracted with an acidified water and acetonitrile solution. HPLC analyses of the extracts were performed on a C18 column using UV detection at 230 nm. Results for powdered root material and capsule products ranged from about 0.2% (w/w) for each alkaloid to about 4% (w/w) for each alkaloid. Liquid tincture results were approximately 4000-5000 microg/mL for each alkaloid. Reproducibility relative standard deviations (RSDR) for hydrastine ranged from 2.68 to 6.65%, with HorRat values ranging from 0.77 to 1.89. RSDR for berberine ranged from 5.66 to 7.68%, with HorRat values ranging from 1.32 to 2.12. All finished products containing goldenseal extract yielded HorRat values <2.0. Based on these results, the method is recommended for Official First Action for determination of hydrastine and berberine in goldenseal raw materials and dietary supplement finished products containing powdered goldenseal and goldenseal extract.     

Development and validation of a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for simultaneous identification and quantification of marker compounds including bilobalide,ginkgolides and flavonoids in Ginkgo biloba L. extract and pharmaceutical preparations

A gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of seven major chemical markers (bilobalide, ginkgolides A, B, C, kaempferol, quercetin and isorhamnetin) in phytopharmaceuticals of Ginkgo biloba L. The intra-day relative standard deviations (RSD) and inter-day RSD's were based on the analysis of the standardized Ginkgo biloba L. extract on the same day and on the following 3 consecutive days. The intra-day RSD's ranged from 1.21% (bilobalide) to 6.20% (kaempferol). The inter-day RSD's ranged from 2.10% (bilobalide) to 10.42% (isorhamnetin). Mean recoveries ranged from a low of 63.0 +/- 5.3% (isorhamnetin) to a maximum of 103.5 +/- 6.0% (ginkgolide A). Calibration curves were linear in ranges between 2.73 and 36.36 microg/ml for the markers. Limits of detection ranged from a low of 0.5 microg/ml (bilobalide) to a high of 2.5 microg/ml (quercetin). The limits of quantitation were a low of 1.1 microg/ml (gingkolides A, B, C) to a high of 7.5 microg/ml (kaempferol). The method was applied to a standard extract (>6% total terpenoids and >24% total flavonoids) and six ginkgo capsule phytopharmaceuticals.     

Determination of beta-carotene in supplements and raw materials by reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography: collaborative study

Twelve laboratories representing 4 countries participated in an interlaboratory study conducted to determine all-trans-veta-carotene and total beta-carotene in dietary supplements and raw materials. Thirteen samples were sent as blind duplicates to the collaborators. Results obtained from 11 laboratories are reported. For products composed as softgels and tablets that were analyzed for total beta-carotene, the reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSDR) ranged from 3.35 to 23.09% and the HorRat values ranged from 1.06 to 3.72. For these products analyzed for trans beta-carotene, the reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSDR) ranged from 4.28 to 22.76% and the HorRat values ranged from 0.92 to 3.37. The RSDr and HorRat values in the analysis of a beadlet raw material were substantial and it is believed that the variability within the material itself introduced significant variation in subsampling. The method uses high pressure liquid chromatography (LC) in the reversed-phase mode with visible light absorbance for detection and quantitation. If high levels of alpha-carotenes are present, a second LC system is used for additional separation and quantitation of the carotene species. It is recommended that the method be adopted as an AOAC Official Method.     

HPLC separation and relative quantitation of kaempferol glycosides in soybean

Summary An HPLC method is described for the determination of kaempferol glycosides in soybean leaf extracts. The method is rapid and can provide qualitative and relative quantitative results for 9 kaempferol glycosides. The flavonol glycosides are extracted from soybean leaves by shaking the samples in 50% methanol; the extracts are filtered, evaporated to dryness and reconstituted in methanol before further purification through a C-18 Sep-Pak column. The samples are injected onto a C-18 HPLC column, separated by gradient elution with a 1% phosphoric acid: methanol mixture and detected on a UV/VIS diode-array detector. Flavonols were monitored at 265 and 348 nm and spectra from 180 to 400 nm were stored and used as an aid in identification. Relative quantities of the kaempferol glycosides among soybean cultivars were calculated from their proportion of peak area in the chromatograms. Total kaempferol concentration of the extracts was calculated after acid hydrolysis of the kaempferol glycosides to the aglycone and comparison of peak areas to kaempferol standards.