Evaluation of Phenolic Content Recoveries in Hydrolyzed Extracts of Bergenia ciliata Using RP-HPLC, GC–MS after Silylation, and Validation through Antioxidant Potential

Abstract

Methanol extracts of Bergenia ciliata treated with chemical and nonchemical medium were comparatively analyzed for optimum recovery of phenolic (PH) and flavonoid (FV) compounds such as Gallic acid, Bergenin, Gallicin, and (+)-Catechin using RP-HPLC coupled to photo diode array detector. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method (GC–MS) was also used for identification of targeted compounds after silylation. Methanol extract was treated separately in acid, base, hydrogen peroxide, neutral, and dry heat medium, analyzed and compared using HPLC. After treatment, drastic variation in phenolic content was observed. Out of five treatments, acid treatment was found to enhance the recovery of all studied phenolic compounds, namely Gallic acid (0.415 ± 0.12), Bergenin (1.91 ± 0.14), Gallicin (0.409 ± 0.17), and (+)-Catechin (18.66 ± 0.15). Dry heat and neutral heat specifically enhances the recovery of Bergenin (2.95 ± 0.12), (3.29 ± 0.18), whereas base and hydrogen peroxide did not show significant content variation. Acid treated extract has shown, as expected, maximum antioxidant potential compared to nontreated extracts.