LC-MS/MS Analysis of Flavonoid Compounds from Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides Extracts and Their Antioxidant Activities

Abstract

Flavonoids are a large group of phenolic secondary metabolites having a wide range of biochemical and pharmacological effects. In this work, a targeted liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS 2) was used to characterize the flavonoid compositions of methanolic plant extracts from separated parts (fruits, leaves, stems, trunk barks, and root barks) of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides. Nine flavonoids were reported in this species, including three flavanones, five flavonols and one flavone. Quantitative analysis of flavonoid profiles from Z. zanthoxyloides extracts is useful to a better understanding of the pattern and distribution of metabolites in extract samples. The concentrations of two glycosylated flavanones (neohesperidin and hesperidin) and one flavonol (quercetin) were higher in root and trunk samples compared to fruit samples. These compounds were reported in small amounts in the stem and leaf samples. In contrast, four flavonols (hyperoside, quercetin-3-O-glucopyranoside, datiscin and quercitrin) were present in significant levels only in the leaf extracts. The presence of glycosylated flavanone (eriocitrin) has been reported only in fruit extract. The antioxidant properties of different extracts were tested regarding their scavenging activities on ABTS •+ radical. Leaf and trunk bark extracts exhibited antioxidant activities, while the extracts obtained from other organs (fruits, stems, and root barks) showed low antioxidant properties.

The Flavonoid Compounds from Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. et Perr (Rutaceae) Extracts and their Antioxidant Activity against ABTS•+

“…To detect 186 components potentially present in the Rutaceae family (commercially available standards) in the studied extracts, we used the method based on LC-MS 2 developed in previous work [4]. The identification of flavonoids in Z. leprieurii extracts was allowed by comparing the retention times, observing the characteristic MRM transitions, and by matching the MS 2 spectra of reference compounds.…”

“…The importance of the antioxidant constituents of plant materials for health and protection from coronary heart disease and cancer is also raising interest among scientists, food manufacturers, and consumers as the trend of the future is moving toward functional food with specific health effects. Potential sources of antioxidant compounds have been searched in several types of plant materials such as vegetables, fruits, leaves, oil seeds, cereal crops, barks and roots, spices and herbs, and crude plant drugs [1][2][3][4].…”

“…Like many species of the Rutaceae family, flavonoids are mainly represented in the genus Zanthoxylum by flavones, flavonols and flavanones, which can be glycosylated and / or polymethoxylated [4,21]. Only one study have been carried out on the chemical composition of Z. leprieurii flavonoids [5], while the number of articles dealing with this subject is relatively important for other species of the Zanthoxylum genus.…”

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometric Analyses of Potential Antioxidant Constituents from Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides Leaves: Probing into the Role of Alkaloids

“…3 The methanol extract of the leaves and roots of Z. zanthoxyloides has an antioxidant effect. 26 Based on the antioxidant activity guided LC-MS dereplication process, we evaluated for the first time the antioxidant potential of the various VLC fractions of Z. zanthoxyloides leaves. Vacuum liquid chromatography was used to isolate the antioxidant principles of the leaves because it is an established method of extracting phytochemicals from plant materials.…”

“…Vacuum liquid chromatography was used to isolate the antioxidant principles of the leaves because it is an established method of extracting phytochemicals from plant materials. 26 Also, this study investigated the chemical constituents of the n-butanol fractions using highperformance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) technique. Earlier reports attributed the antioxidant activity of leaf extracts of Z. zanthoxyloides to flavonoids, but the oxidation-reduction potential of other phytochemical constituents such as alkaloids and triterpenes were not evaluated.…”