Polyphenolic profiling of two Embelia spp. endemic to South Western Ghats of India by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry analysis

Abstract

This study for the first time illustrates a comprehensive picture of the phenolic composition of Embelia adnata and Embelia gardneriana by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry analysis with ESI in negative ionisation. The analysis was performed in the methanolic extracts of different parts of these two species separately and identifies 54 individual phenolic compounds present in them. Among this by individual 36 and 28 compounds were recorded from E. adnata and E. gardneriana, respectively, and in this, 10 compounds were common in both the two species. The detected compounds come under the classes flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, isoflavonoids, benzenoids, coumarins, stilbens, chalcones, polyphenols, gallic acid derivatives, tannins and different derivatives of various organic acids.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Embelia adnata
• Embelia gardneriana
• HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS
• phenolic profile
• tentative characterisation
• endemic species
• endangered species

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge authorities and scientists of Centre for Medicinal Plants Research, AVS, Kottakkal, Kerala, India for granting facilities for mass spectral studies. Encouragement and support offered by the Dr Syam Viswanath, Director, KSCSTE-KFRI, Peechi, Kerala, India and help rendered by Dr P. S. Udayan in collection and identification of the plant species are gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Kerala State Council for Science and Technology under State Plan Grant no. RP 683.