A rapid simultaneous quantification of five biologically active polyisoprenylated benzophenones using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (MRM) method in two Garcinia species from Cameroon

Garcinia is a plant genus of the family Clusiaceae native to Asia, Tropical and Southern Africa and Polynesia. Garcinia preussii Engl (synonym Garcinia epunctata Stapf) is traditionally used in Western Africa to treat stomachache, and it is popular as chewstick [1]. These species are known to be a rich source of polyisoprenylated benzophenones derivatives with a large spectrum of biological activities such as antioxidant, antiviral and anticancer properties [2]. A sensitive, rapid and simple reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method has been developed for the identification and quantification of five polyisoprenylated benzophenones, garcinol, 7epi-garcinol, isogarcinol, clusianone and 7epi-clusianone, in the extracts of the bark, fruit and leaves of Garcinia preussii and of the bark and roots of Garcinia brevipedicellata. The separation of garcinol and 7epi-garcinol was achieved on a RP-18 column using a solvent system consisting of a mixture of acetonitrile-water-formic acid as a mobile phase in a gradient elution mode. The identification of the five compounds was determined on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer with ESI interface operating in the negative mode. A multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method was developed for the quantification of these five polyisoprenylated benzophenones in the extracts of the two Garcinia species.

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2. Ciochina R. et al. (2006) Chem. Rev. 106 (9): 3963–3986.