A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method coupled with diode-array detection (DAD) was optimized for the qualitative analysis of aqueous extracts of Cyclopia genistoides. Comprehensive insight into the phenolic profile of unfermented and fermented sample extracts was achieved with the identification of ten compounds based on comparison with authentic reference standards and the tentative identification of 30 additional compounds by means of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and tandem MS detection. Three iriflophenone-di-O,C-hexoside isomers, three xanthone-dihydrochalcone derivatives and one dihydrochalcone are herein tentatively identified for the first time in C. genistoides. Of special interest is one iriflophenone-di-O,C-hexoside present in large amounts. New compounds (tentatively) identified for the first time in this species, and also in the genus Cyclopia, include two aromatic amino acids, one flavone, an iriflophenone-di-C-hexoside, a maclurin-di-O,Chexoside, two tetrahydroxyxanthone-C-hexoside isomers, a tetrahydroxyxanthone-di-O,Chexoside, two symmetric tetrahydroxyxanthone-C-hexoside dimers, nine glycosylated flavanone derivatives and five glycosylated phenolic acid derivatives. The presence of new compound subclasses in Cyclopia, namely aromatic amino acids and glycosylated phenolic acids, was demonstrated. The HPLC-DAD method was successfully validated and applied to 11761 the quantitative analysis of the paired sample extracts. In-depth analysis of the chemical composition of C. genistoides hot water extracts gave a better understanding of the chemistry of this species that will guide further research into its medicinal properties and potential uses.

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Rooibos tea is an unique beverage prepared from unfermented and fermented plant material of the endemic Cape fynbos plant, Aspalathus linearis. The well-known health-promoting benefits of rooibos are partly attributed to its phenolic composition. Detailed investigation of the minor phenolic constituents of rooibos is, however, hampered by the limitations associated with conventional HPLC methods used for its analysis. In this study, the applicability of comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatographic methods for the in-depth analysis of rooibos phenolics was investigated. Phenolic compounds were separated according to polarity by hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) in the first dimension, whilst reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) provided separation according to hydrophobicity in the second dimension. Ultraviolet photodiode array and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry were used to identify phenolic compounds. Comprehensive HILIC × RP-LC demonstrated its applicability for the analysis of a diverse range of phenolic compounds in unfermented and fermented rooibos samples, in which large qualitative differences in the phenolic composition were established. The combination of these orthogonal separations provided a significant improvement in resolution, as exemplified by practical peak capacities in excess of 2000 and 500 for off-line and on-line methods, respectively.

Data are required to calculate the dietary exposure to rooibos herbal tea flavonoids and phenolic acids. Representative content values for the principal phenolic compounds and total antioxidant capacity of fermented rooibos infusion, taking into account variation caused by production seasons (2009, 2010, and 2011) and quality grades (A, B, C, and D), were determined for samples (n = 114) from different geographical areas and producers. The major phenolic constituents were isoorientin and orientin (>10 mg/L), with quercetin-3-O-robinobioside, phenylpyruvic acid glucoside, and aspalathin present at >5 mg/L. Isovitexin, vitexin, and hyperoside were present at <3 mg/L. Rutin, ferulic acid, and isoquercitrin were present at <2 mg/L. Nothofagin was present at <1 mg/L. Only traces of luteolin-7-O-glucoside and the aglycones quercetin, luteolin, and chrysoeriol were present. Substantial variation was observed in the individual content values of the phenolic compounds and total antioxidant capacity within production seasons and quality grades.