Reactions of the natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol in basic and acidic nucleophilic media: formation and reactivity of a quinone methide intermediate

The chemical properties and synthetic modifications of the natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol in basic and acidic nucleophilic media were studied. Hydroxymatairesinol presumably reacts via a quinone methide and a carbonium ion mechanism under basic and acidic conditions, respectively. In these conditions the benzylic hydroxyl group was displaced by nucleophiles yielding new 7-substituted butyrolactone lignans. Reactions in alcoholic basic solutions yielded the 7-alkoxy ethers diastereoselectively. Several previously known lignans as well as new lignans and lignan derivatives were synthesised. The transformations were monitored and the products identified by HPLC-MS and NMR.     

Screening analyses of pinosylvin stilbenes, resin acids and lignans in Norwegian conifers

The content and distribution of stilbenes and resin acids in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and spruce (Picea abies), sampled in central Norway, have been examined.The contents of pinosylvin stilbenes in pine heartwood/living knots were 0.2-2/2-8 %(w/w). No stilbenes could be detected in spruce (Picea abies). The resin acid contents of pine sapwood/heartwood and knots were 1-4 and 5-10 % (w/w), respectively. Minor amounts of resin acids (<0.2/<0.04 %w/w) were identified in spruce wood/knots. The lignan content in knots of Norwegian spruce was 6.5 % (w/w). Diastereomerically pure hydroxymatairesinol (HMR, 84 % of total lignans) was readily isolated from this source since only minor quantities (2.6 % of total lignans) of the allo-HMR diastereomer was detected. Insignificant amounts of lignans were present in the sapwood. Lignans could not be detected in the sapwood or knots of Norwegian sallow (Salix caprea), birch(Betula pendula) or juniper (Juniperus communis).     

Lignan profile in seeds of modern and old Italian soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars as revealed by CE-MS analyses

The health-promoting effects of whole-grain consumption have been attributed in part to their unique phytochemical contents and profiles. Wheat is an important component of the human diet; however, little is known about the phytochemical profiles of different wheat varieties, especially of old wheats. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution of lignans, a class of phytochemicals with proved health benefit effects, of four modern and six old Italian soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. In this work, we describe the first analytical method involving CE coupled to MS (CE-MS) used to identify and quantify lignan compounds in grains of different cultivars of wheat. Total lignan content determined by CE-ESI-MS was 2.60+/-0.21 and 5.00+/-1.30 microg/g dry seed weight for modern and old cultivars, respectively. Secoisolariciresinol and pinoresinol were detected in all ten investigated soft wheat cultivars, whereas arctigenin, hinokinin, and syringaresinol were exclusively detected in old genotypes. Significant differences between modern and old cultivars were also observed for the number of glycosidic forms. Results highlighted the high content and unique composition in lignans of old cultivars suggesting their uses into a wide range of regular and specialty food products naturally enriched with health-promoting compounds.     

Simultaneous determination of four lignan compounds in Herpetospermum caudigerum by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method with diode array UV detection is developed for the simultaneous quantitation of four lignan compounds in Herpetospermum caudigerum. This analysis provides a good resolution and reproducibility. Chromatography is carried out with a mobile phase of N-hexane-dichlormethane-methanol (42.5:42.5:5, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. UV detection is performed at 280 nm. The calibration curve for lignans concentration is linear over the range of 2.10 to 42.0 microg/mL, 15.26 to 305.2 microg/mL, 6.15 to 123.0 microg/mL, and 6.24 to 124.8 microg/mL, respectively. The limit of quantitation and detection for compounds 1, 2, 3, and 4 is 1.31, 2.74, 2.63, and 2.17 microg/mL and 0.28, 0.25, 0.27, and 0.31 microg/mL, respectively. The validation data show that the assay is sensitive, specific, accurate, and reproducible for the simultaneous quantitation of four compounds. This rapid method is therefore appropriate to quantitate these lignans in Herpetospermum caudigerum.     

Simultaneous determination of seven lignans in Justicia procumbens by high performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array detection using relative response factors

A simple and sensitive HPLC coupled with photodiode array (HPLC–PDA) method was developed for simultaneous determination of seven lignans in Justicia procumbens using relative response factors (RRFs). The chromatographic separation was performed on a Shiseido Capcell Pak C₁₈ column (250 × 4.6 mm id, 5 μm), a gradient elution of acetonitrile/water, and a photodiode array detector. The column temperature was maintained at 35°C and the detection wavelength was set at 256 nm. Chinensinaphthol methyl ether was selected as the reference compound for calculating the relative response factors of the lignans. It has shown that the RRFs for lignans are quite similar at 256 nm of detection under different analytical conditions (different columns and HPLC instruments). Using RRFs, not every lignan is needed as a reference standard, making the method ideal for rapid, routine analysis, especially for those laboratories where lignans standards are not readily available. An economic and practicable HPLC method using RRFs was established for the determination of seven lignans in J. procumbens. This method not only can determine multiple indexes in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) simultaneously, but also resolve the problem of lacking of chemical standards. It will be a good quality evaluation method and pattern for TCMs.     

Rhamnosylation of lignans by a Streptomyces strain

Screening of 400 Streptomyces strains for biotransformation of the natural lignan matairesinol led to the identification of Streptomyces sp. LS136, capable of producing a single metabolite in moderate yields. Isolation and purification by preparative HPLC, followed by structural analyses by LC-MS and NMR, established the structure as matairesinol-4-O-rhamnoside. This bacterial strain was also used for rhamnosylation of the abundant natural lignans, hydroxymatairesinol and secoisolariciresinol.     

Chiral separation of the plant lignan matairesinol by capillary electrophoresis

Lignans are dimeric phenylpropanoid compounds in plants that enjoy increasing medicinal interest because of their phytoestrogen activity. Lignans are chiral compounds and for most natural occurring lignans, chirality is not known. Separation of racemic matairesinol by CE in a non-coated silica capillary with carboxymethyl-beta-cyclodextrin as chiral selector in phosphate buffer was successful. Electrolyte and selector concentrations and pH were systematically optimized in order to obtain baseline separation and short analysis times. Matairesinol from safflower fruit was determined as (-)-enantiomer. Quantitation results for matairesinol with the optimized method after calibration with authentic lignan were very similar to those by HPLC. The limit of detection is 2 microg/mL sample by DAD detection.     

Synthesis of (-)-matairesinol, (-)-enterolactone,and (-)-enterodiol from the natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol

[reaction: see text] We describe here a four-step semisynthetic method for the preparation of enantiomerically pure (-)-enterolactone starting from the readily available lignan hydroxymatairesinol from Norway spruce (Picea abies). Hydroxymatairesinol was first hydrogenated to matairesinol. Matairesinol was esterified to afford the matairesinyl 4,4'-bistriflate, which was deoxygenated by palladium-catalyzed reduction to 3,3'-dimethylenterolactone. Demethylation of 3,3'-dimethylenterolactone and reduction with LiAlH(4) yielded (-)-enterolactone and (-)-enterodiol, respectively.     

Studies on lignan constituents from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. fruits using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray ionization multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n)) method has been developed for the detection and analysis of lignan constituents in the methanol extract from the fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. RP-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n) and electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-FT-ICR-MS(n)) have been applied to investigate the characteristic product ions of four lignan reference compounds. Then, the logical fragmentation pathways of the lignans have been proposed. By comparing the retention time (t(R)) of HPLC, the ESI-MS(n) data and the structures of analyzed compounds with the data of reference compounds and in the literature, 11 peaks in HPLC have been unambiguously identified and another 5 peaks have been tentatively identified or deduced. Also, in the present paper, the extracted ion chromatograms (EIC) have been used to analyze the lignan isomers. The experimental results demonstrate that RP-HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n) is a specific and useful method for the identification of the lignan constituents and their isomers.     

High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometric identification of dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignans: insights into electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric fragmentation of lign-7-eno-9,9'-lactones and application to the lignans of Linum usitatissimum L. (Common Flax)

In continuation of our studies into the mass spectrometric detection of natural lignans and their identification in complex mixtures such as crude plant extracts, the electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric (ESI-MS/MS) fragmentation of Delta(7,8)-unsaturated dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignans (lign-7-eno-9,9'-lactones) was studied in detail. It is demonstrated that the characteristic fragmentation allows unambiguous identification including distinction between constitutional isomers. These lignans containing an alpha,beta-unsaturated lactone structure exist as equilibrium mixtures of E- and Z-isomers indistinguishable by mass spectrometry, but it is shown that chromatographic retention time can be used to distinguish between the isomeric forms. Based on these observations, re-analysis of the dichloromethane extract obtained from flowering aerial parts of Linum usitatissimum L. by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/ESI-MS/MS led to the identification of eighteen lignans of these types (five lignano- and one lignenolactone previously reported along with five further lignano- as well as seven lignenolactones hitherto unreported for this plant). The simultaneous identification of eighteen different lignans in the complex matrix of a crude plant extract by a single analysis demonstrates the potential of this method, which will certainly lead to new insights into the lignan composition and metabolism of different Linum species and many other plants.     

Flax lignans--analytical methods and how they influence our lunderstanding of biological activity

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a major source of dietary intake of lignans by virtue of the high concentrations (0.7-1.5%) that are present in the seed. The principal lignan present in flaxseed is secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), which occurs as a component of a linear ester-linked complex in which the C6-OH of the glucose of SDG is esterified to the carboxylic acid of hydroxymethylglutaric acid. Also present in flaxseed and in resulting lignan extracts are significant quantities of 2 cinnamic acid glycosides. Our emerging understanding of the biological activity of flax lignans is based on studies using a variety of materials ranging from whole ground seed to pure SDG. The underlying assumption of most of these studies is that the biological activity of flax lignans results from their conversion to the mammalian lignans enterolactone (EL) and enterodiol (ED). There are, however, several intermediate compounds generated during the digestion and metabolism of flax lignans, including SDG and its aglycones and secoisolariciresinol (Seco), that are good candidates to be the principal bioactive molecule. This review will document the history of the development of lignan analytical methods and illustrate how analytical methods have influenced the interpretation of animal and human trials and our understanding of the biological activity of flax lignans.     

Chromatographic analysis of lignans

Methods and procedures for analysis of lignans in trees and other plants are reviewed. The importance of cautious sample handling and pretreatment procedures to avoid contamination, loss of sample, and unwanted chemical reactions is discussed. Sequential extraction with a non-polar solvent followed by extraction with acetone or ethanol is recommended to separate the lignans from the plant matrix. An additional step of acid, alkaline, or enzymatic hydrolysis may be necessary for some plant matrixes. Flash chromatography is a convenient method for preparative separation and isolation of pure lignans from raw extracts. TLC is very suitable for qualitative screening of extracts and for monitoring of lignan isolation and purification steps. Trimethylsilyl ethers of lignans can be separated and quantified by GC even in the case of complex mixtures of lignans and other polyphenols, and the lignans can be identified by GC-MS in a routine manner. HPLC on reversed-phase columns is especially suited for analysis of lignans and their metabolites in biological matrixes. The recent development of HPLC-electrospray ionisation (ESI)-iontrap MS (MS(n)) and corresponding techniques with high sensitivity and selectivity has proven valuable in lignan analysis. Lignan enantiomers can be separated on chiral HPLC columns.     

Synthesis of R-(-)-imperanene from the natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol

A convenient and high yielding method for the synthesis of R-(-)-imperanene, starting from the readily available natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol from Norway spruce, was developed. Hydroxymatairesinol was degraded in strongly basic aqueous conditions to (E)-4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylmethyl)but-3-enoic acid, which was esterified and then reduced by LiAlH(4) to afford R-(-)-imperanene. The configuration at the crucial stereocenter was preserved in the synthesis, and the obtained product was identified by optical rotation measurements and chiral HPLC analyses as the R-(-)-enantiomer (ee 86-92%).     

Mass fragmentation study of the trimethylsilyl derivatives of arctiin,matairesinoside, arctigenin,phylligenin, matairesinol,pinoresinol and methylarctigenin: Their gas and liquid chromatographic analysis in plant extracts

The mass fragmentation patterns and the characteristic behavior of the trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives of the dibenzylbutyrolactone-type (arctiin, arctigenin, methylarctigenin, matairesinoside, matairesinol) and those of the diphenylperhydrofurotetrahydrofurane-type (phylligenin, pinoresinol) lignans, obtained by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), were presented. It was shown that upon acidic hydrolysis the dibenzylbutyrolactone-type lignans are stable while the diphenylperhydrofurotetrahydrofurane-type ones decompose. As a novelty to the field we confirmed that the fragment species of the derivatized lignan glycosides, in the presence of excess hexamethyldisilazane, leaded to their in situ derivatization. Quantification of the selective fragment ions of the TMS derivatives by GC–MS, in respect of the ions found one by one, and concerning the selective fragment ions {SFI(s)} in total, provided acceptable reproducibilities, suitable for quantitation purposes: varying between 1.20% and 6.6% relative standard deviation percentages (RSD%). For characterization of the behavior of various type of lignans, analyses were performed with the untreated and with the trifluoroacetic acid hydrolyzed plant extracts, from the same sample, in parallel, both by GC–MS and by high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, working in the positive electron ionization mode (HPLC–ESPI-MS). The analysis of lignans in fruit and leaf extracts (obtained from the Arctium, Centaurea and Forsythia plants) was confirmed both by GC–MS and by HPLC–ESPI-MS. Our multicomponent system (including the identification and quantification of sugars, sugar alcohols, and several members of various homologous series of acids, anthraquinones and flavonoids) has been extended to the analysis of lignan glycosides and to the free lignans. Reproducibilities in the quantitation of lignans in plant matrices, as averages on GC and HPLC basis, varied between 0.9% and 11% (RSD). The distribution of the lignan constituents was presented for 5 Arctium, for 8 Centaurea and for 4 Forsythia plant extracts: the total of lignan contents varied between 0.42 and 87.9 mg/g, respectively.     

Oxidative transformation of the natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone

The oxidative transformation of the two isomers of the natural lignan hydroxymatairesinol from Norway Spruce (Picea abies) by 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ), has been studied. Significant differences in the outcome of the reactions were observed when the pure isomers of hydroxymatairesinol were reacted with DDQ under the same conditions. The different stereoelectronic effects in the two isomers as well as their conformational structures seem to determine the site of reaction, which results in different reaction products. Several products were identified by GC-MS and NMR spectroscopy. Oxomatairesinol was obtained in a yield of 25%.     

Identification of lignans by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectrometry

The fragmentation pattern of 30 compounds belonging to different classes of the lignan family was studied by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectrometry. On the basis of the observed fragmentation patterns, identification of different types of lignans was achieved. For example, dibenzylbutyrolactone lignans showed a characteristic fragmentation pathway by the loss of 44 Da (CO(2)) from the lactone moiety, whereas dibenzylbutanediols showed a loss of 48 Da by a combined loss of formaldehyde and water from the 1,4-butanediol moiety. Lignan glycosides readily lost the sugar residue to give the parent lignan as their primary product ion. In addition, several compound-specific fragmentations were observed and used for identification of individual compounds.A versatile method for analyses of lignans was developed using LC separation on a C8 column followed by fragmentation and detection of ions produced in the ion trap.     

Determination of mammalian lignans in biological samples by modified gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Lignans in flaxseed have been part of the human diet for centuries. In 1955, the isolation and structure of the lignan derivative secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) was reported. The biological role of SDG and mammalian lignan metabolites enterodiol and enterolactone was initially reported 20 years later. Experimental evidences showed the beneficial effects of lignans on breast, colon, and thyroid cancer. A modified gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) assay was developed for lignans in serum and colon samples of rats fed flaxseed meal. The method developed for the analysis of metabolites involves extraction and derivatization of samples and quantitative analysis by selected ion monitoring using GC/MS. The levels of lignan metabolites enterodiol and enterolactone were determined to be 0.013 and 0.23 microM in serum samples and 0.008 and 1.63 microM in colon samples.     

Analysis of lignans using micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) was used to separate twelve lignan compounds originating from Phyllanthus plants. To increase the reliability of peak identification, two micellar systems, the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium deoxycholate (SDC) systems, were investigated. Because of the high lipophilicity of the lignan analytes, tetrahydrofuran was added to the SDS micellar system to increase its separating ability. In contrast to SDS system, no organic solvent was needed with SDC micelles. Both micellar systems gave a satisfactory separation within a reasonable analysis time. On considering accuracy for quantitation, the SDS method was validated and then used to determine the content of the lignans in two Phyllanthus plants. The selectivity (elution order of the lignans) was significantly different between the SDS and SDC micellar systems. Retention in SDC-MEKC seemed to be dominated by the hydrophobicity of the lignan solutes, while in SDS-MEKC, retention was greatly influenced by hydrogen bonding interactions.     

Quantitative Determination of Lignan Constituents from Schisandra chinensis by Liquid Chromatography

The fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Schisandraceae/Magnoliaceae) are a traditional oriental medicine possessing diverse biological activities. A simple and specific analytical method for the quantitative determination of eight lignan constituents from the methanolic extract of the fruits of Schisandra chinensis was developed. The lignan constituents present in the fruits of Schisandra chinensis were separated with an acetonitrile-water-reagent alcohol gradient at a flow rate of 1.0 mL per minute. The HPLC separation was performed on a Phenomenex Luna C18 (2) (150 × 4.6 mm I.D., particle size 5 μm) reversed phase column with detection at 215 nm. The limit of detection was in the range from 0.2 to1.5 μg mL^?1. The relative standard deviation (RSD) values for the determination of lignan constituents in fruits of Schisandra chinensis were less than 2.0%. The method was successfully used to analyze different products available in the market containing Schisandra chinensis and also to study the percentage compositions of various lignans present in Schisandra chinensis procured from different regions in S. Korea.     

Chemical studies on antioxidant mechanisms and free radical scavenging properties of lignans

The antioxidant activity, in terms of radical scavenging capacity, of altogether 15 different lignans was measured by monitoring the scavenging of the free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The effect of differences in skeletal arrangement or the degree of oxidation of the lignans was investigated in a structure-activity relationship study. A large variety in the radical scavenging capacities of the different lignans was observed and related to some structural features. Lignans with catechol (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) moieties exhibited the highest radical scavenging capacity, while the corresponding guaiacyl (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl) lignans showed a slightly weaker scavenging capacity. In addition, the butanediol structure was found to enhance the activity, whereas a higher degree of oxidation at the benzylic positions decreased the activity. Additionally, the readily available lignans (-)-secoisolariciresinol, a mixture of hydroxymatairesinol epimers and (-)-matairesinol were studied in more detail, including kinetic measurements and identification of oxidation products in the reactions with DPPH and ABAP (2,2-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride. The identification of reaction products, by GC-MS, HPLC-MS and NMR spectroscopy, showed that dimerisation of the two aromatic moieties was the major radical termination reaction. Also, the formation of adducts was a predominant reaction in the experiments with ABAP. The kinetic data obtained from the reactions between the lignans and DPPH indicated a complex reaction mechanism.