Abstract
Bergenia crassifolia L., Saxifragaceae, is an evergreen perennial plant known in traditional medicine of Russia, Mongolia and China. Polyphenols are responsible for the number of pharmacological effects of Bergenia. UPLC-DAD-QqQ-MS and LC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS were used for the rapid profiling of phenolic compounds, mainly hydrolysable tannins. Green leaves consisted of 55% ellagitannins, 29% gallic acid derivatives and 11% flavonoids, with the remaining gallic acid, arbutin, bergenin and caffeoyl quinic acid. In fermented leaves, 31% of gallic acid was found, followed with 28% ellagitannins, 18% gallic acid derivatives and 18% flavonoids, with the remaining caffeoyl quinic acid, bergenin and arbutin. Tellimagrandin I, pedunculagin, caffeoyl quinic acid, monogalloyl quinic acid, 1-O-galloylglucose and 1,2,6-tri-O-galloylglucose were identified for the very first time.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Dr Olli Martiskainen for the help in LC-DAD-ESI-TOF-MS analysis. This study was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, agreement HEL8191-13 and project SPECICROP, ENPI CBC2007–2013. Chemical analyses on the UPLC-DAD-QqQ-MS system were made possible by a Strategic Research Grant of University of Turku (Ecological Interactions).