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Planta Med 2014; 80(02/03): 237-242
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1360272
Analytical Studies
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Simultaneous Determination of Five Minor Coumarins and Flavonoids in Glycyrrhiza uralensis by Solid-Phase Extraction and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Xue Qiao   *
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
,
Chun-Fang Liu   *
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
,
Shuai Ji
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
,
Xiong-Hao Lin
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
,
De-An Guo
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
,
Min Ye
State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 16 July 2013
revised 21 October 2013

accepted 08 December 2013

Publication Date:
04 February 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Minor phenolic compounds in licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) have recently been proved for diverse bioactivities and favorable bioavailability, indicating that they may play an important role in the therapeutic effects or herb-drug interactions of licorice. However, so far, their abundance in licorice remains unknown. In this study, a reliable solid-phase extraction coupled with a high-performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection method was established to determine the minor phenolic compounds in licorice. The analytes were enriched by a three-step solid-phase extraction method, and then separated on a YMC ODS-A column by gradient elution. Five coumarins and flavonoids were identified by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, and then quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection. The amounts of glycycoumarin, dehydroglyasperin C, glycyrol, licoflavonol, and glycyrin in G. uralensis were 0.81 ± 0.28, 1.25 ± 0.59, 0.20 ± 0.08, 0.12 ± 0.04, and 0.17 ± 0.08 mg/g, respectively. Abundances of these compounds in other Glycyrrhiza species (G. glabra, G. inflata, and G. yunnanesis) were remarkably lower than G. uralensis.

Key words

Glycyrrhiza uralensis - Leguminosae - licorice - SPE-HPLC-DAD - coumarins - flavonoids

* The first two authors contributed equally to this paper.


Supporting Information

 

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