Abstract
The phenolic composition of extracts from Uncaria tomentosa L. from different regions of Costa Rica was studied using advanced analytical techniques such as UPLC/TQ-ESI-MS and 13C-NMR. Samples from leaves, stems, bark and wood (n = 22) were subjected to extraction to obtain phenolic and alkaloid extracts, separately. Comparatively, higher values of total phenolic content were observed for leaves, stems and bark (225–494 gallic acid equivalents/g) than for wood extracts (40–167 gallic acid equivalents/g). A total of 32 non-flavonoid and flavonoid compounds were identified in the phenolic extracts: hydroxybenzoic acids (benzoic, salicylic, 4-hydroxybenzoic, prochatechuic, gallic, syringic and vanillic acids), hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric, caffeic, ferulic and isoferulic acids), flavan-3-ols monomers [(+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin)], procyanidin dimers (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7 and two other of unknown structure) and trimers (C1, T2 and one of unknown structure), flavalignans (four unknown structures pertaining to the cinchonain family) and propelargonidin dimers (four unknown structures, reported for the first time in U. tomentosa). Additionally, alkaloid extracts obtained from the plant residue after phenolic extraction exhibited a content of tetracyclic and pentacyclic alkaloids ranging between 95 and 275 mg/100 g of dry material for bark extracts, and between 30 and 704 mg/100 g for leaves extracts. In addition, a minor alkaloid was isolated and characterized, namely 18,19-dehydrocorynoxinoic acid. Our results confirmed the feasibility of U. tomentosa as a suitable raw material for obtaining phenolic- and alkaloid-rich extracts of potential interest.
Highlights
Uncaria tomentosa L., known as cat’s claw, is a creeper plant typical of the rainy tropical forest that belongs to the Rubiaceae family
This paper reports valuable information about the phenolic and alkaloid composition of the plant U. tomentosa
Using advanced analytical techniques such as UPLC/TQ-ESI-MS and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a total of 32 phenolic compounds have been identified, including hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavan-3-ols monomers, procyanidin dimers and trimers, flavalignans, and propelargonidin dimers; these later were reported for the first time in U. tomentosa
Summary
Uncaria tomentosa L., known as cat’s claw, is a creeper plant typical of the rainy tropical forest that belongs to the Rubiaceae family. The presence of non-flavonoids, mainly hydroxycinnamic acids such as caffeic and chlorogenic acids, in U. tomentosa has been described [8,9,10] Flavonoids present in this plant mainly include flavonols (i.e., quercetin and miricetin derivatives) and flavan-3-ols [6,8,9]. In relation to this latter group, the monomers (+)-catechin and ( ́)-epicatechin, and the dimers procyanidins B1, B2 and B4 have been described in different preparations from U. tomentosa [9,11,12]. Alkaloids extracts were prepared from the residues of U. tomentosa plants after phenolic extraction, and they were characterized in detail
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