Preparation,evaluation and characterization of quercetin-molecularly imprinted polymer for preconcentration and clean-up of catechins

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for solid extraction and preconcentration of catechins have been successfully prepared by a thermal polymerization method using quercetin as template, 4-vinylpyridine as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker. A solution mixture of acetone and acetonitrile was used as porogen. Systematic investigations of the influence of monomer, cross-linker, porogen, as well as polymerization conditions on the properties of the MIPs were carried out. The quercetin MIPs were evaluated according to their selective recognition properties for quercetin, structurally related compounds (catechin, epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin) and a unrelated compound of similar molecular size (α-tocopherol). Good binding was observed for quercetin, catechin and epigallocatechin gallate with an optimized MIP in a solid phase extraction system. Adsorption and kinetic characteristics were evaluated for catechins which indicated that the synthesized polymer had high adsorption capacity and contained homogeneous binding sites. Chemical and morphological characterization of the MIP was investigated by FTIR, SEM and BET, which confirmed a high degree of polymerization. Finally, the MIP was successfully applied to the clean-up and preconcentration of catechins from several natural samples.     

Low-molecular-weight phenolic compounds from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hedysarum theinum</Emphasis> roots

Isoflavonoids (−)-medicarpin, (−)-vestitol, formononetin, 8-hydroxydaidzein, and 6″-O-acetylononin were isolated for the first time in addition to (−)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, protocatechoic acid, raspberry ketone, and rhododendrol from the alcohol extract of Hedysarum theinum roots. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 26–28, January–February, 2008.     

儿茶素结构和振动光谱的密度泛函理论研究

本文利用密度泛函理论方法B3LYP在6-311 G(d,p)水平上研究了儿茶素及其异构体表儿茶素分子的几何构型,计算结果与实验所得结构参数一致.计算了儿茶素分子平衡构型下的力常数,使用Wilson的GF矩阵方法计算了振动基频以及相应的势能分布,据此结合理论计算的光谱强度,对儿茶素分子的振动基频进行了完善合理的理论归属.     

A validated solid-liquid extraction method for the HPLC determination of polyphenols in apple tissues Comparison with pressurised liquid extraction

A solid-liquid extraction procedure followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled with a photodiode array detector (DAD) for the determination of polyphenols in freeze-dried apple peel and pulp is reported. The extraction step consists in sonicating 0.5 g of freeze-dried apple tissue with 30 mL of methanol-water-acetic acid (30:69:1, v/v/v) containing 2 g of ascorbic acid/L, for 10 min in an ultrasonic bath. The whole method was validated, concluding that it is a robust method that presents high extraction efficiencies (peel: >91%, pulp: >95%) and appropriate precisions (within day: R.S.D. (n = 5) <5%, and between days: R.S.D. (n = 5) <7%) at the different concentration levels of polyphenols that can be found in apple samples. The method was compared with one previously published, consisting in a pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) followed by RP-HPLC-DAD determination. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed.     

Polyphenols from Vitis vinifera Seeds

The chemical composition of polyphenols from grape seeds was studied. It has been found that they contain four catechins and two proanthocyanidins. The probable structure of the proanthocyanidins was proposed on the basis of physicochemical investigations.     

Feasibility study on the use of near infrared spectroscopy to determine flavanols in grape seeds

The potential of near infrared spectroscopy to determine the content of flavanols directly recording the infrared spectra of grape seeds has been evaluated. Moreover, the study shows the potential of this technique to obtain qualitative information related to the samples. In this case, the feasibility to discriminate between possible vineyards of origin has also been evaluated. Modified Partial Least Squares (MPLS) regression was used to develop the quantitative models in order to predict the content of flavanols. These models have been validated showing differences between 3.5% and 14.3% in the external validation. Moreover, Discriminant Partial Least Squares algorithm was used in the qualitative analysis to distinguish between two possible vineyards of origin and showed a high degree of accuracy. Prediction rates of samples correctly classified with a mean of 95% in internal validation and 97% in external validation were obtained. The procedure reported here seems to have an excellent potential for a fast and reasonably inexpensive analysis of these flavanols in grape seeds and could also be a tool to distinguish between possible vineyards of origin.     

New chalcanonol glycoside from the seeds of saw palmetto: antiproliferative and antioxidant effects

A new chalcanonol glycoside dimer, bis-O-[(I-4′) → (II-6′)]-α-hydroxyphloretin-2′-O-β-glucoside (1), in addition to six known compounds, namely ( ? )-epicatechin (2) and ( ? )-epiafzelechin (3), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4), protocatechuic acid (5), methylgallate (6), β-sitosterol (7) and β-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside (8), was isolated from the seeds of saw palmetto. The structures of the isolated compounds were established from the analysis of their MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. The antiproliferative activities of the isolated compounds towards PC3, the human prostate cancer cells were investigated. Amongst the isolated compounds, the new compound and the sterolic derivatives showed antiproliferative effects. Screening of the antioxidant effects of the isolated compounds by 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical assay revealed that the isolated phenolics were active free radical scavengers.