Abstract
A sophisticated LC-ESI-MSn method was utilized for the analysis of the phenolic compounds in five unofficial
Rheum species for the first time. These species belong to the section deserticola Maxim. of the Polygonaceae family, including Rheum racemiferum Maxim., R. nanum Siev. ex Pall., R. delavayi Franch., R. sublanceolatum C. Y. Cheng et T. C. Kao and R. pumilum Maxim. A total of 101 phenolic compounds, including sennosides, anthraquinones, stilbenes,
glucose gallates, naphthalenes, procyanidins and chromones were identified or tentatively
characterized based on their UV and mass spectral data from the methanol extracts.
These chemical constituents were compared with those of an official species (R. palmatum L.). The results showed that most sennosides and procyanidin derivatives were only
present in R. palmatum rather than in the unofficial species; stilbenes and chromones were only found in
the sect. deserticola species; while anthraquinones, glucose gallates and naphthalenes could be detected
in all studied species. For anthraquinone glycosides, only emodin O-glucosides were detected in the sect. deserticola species. Moreover, remarkable difference was observed among unofficial species. These
results may be useful for the quality control of rhubarb in order to guarantee its
clinical effects, and may also be helpful for the further clarification of the taxonomic
relationship of the plants in the sect. deserticola.
Key words
phenolic compounds - Polygonaceae -
Rheum
- section deserticola
- HPLC/DAD/ESI-MSn
- chemotaxonomy
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Prof. Dr. De-an Guo
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Peking University Health Science Center
Beijing 100083
People’s Republic of China
Phone: +86/10/8280/1516
Fax: +86/10/8280/2700
Email: gda@bjmu.edu.cn