Abstract
Pfaffia glomerata contains high levels of β-ecdysone, which has shown a range of beneficial pharmacological effects. The present study demonstrated that inflorescences of P. glomerata contain other important bioactive compounds in addition to β-ecdysone. The identification of compounds from inflorescences using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) was performed for the first time. The eight compounds identified were β-ecdysone, flavonoid glycosides such as quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside and kaempferol-3-O-(6-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside, oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins such as ginsenoside Ro and chikusetsusaponin IV, in addition to oleanonic acid and gluconic acid. This study provided information on the phytochemicals contained in P. glomerata inflorescences revealing the potential application of this plant part as raw material for the phytotherapeutic and cosmetic industries.
Highlights
Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen (Amaranthaceae) is a perennial herb, traditionally known as Brazilian ginseng and its roots are widely used in Brazilian traditional medicine [1,2]
LC-electrospray ionization source (ESI)-MS/MS analyses were performed in positive and negative ionization modes to obtain maximum information on the composition of the inflorescences of P. glomerata. β-ecdysone was used as a standard because it is the main compound reported in P. glomerata
The MS information was interpreted and compared with spectra available in the literature. This is the first study to examine the chemical composition of P. glomerata inflorescences, determined by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS)
Summary
Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen (Amaranthaceae) is a perennial herb, traditionally known as Brazilian ginseng and its roots are widely used in Brazilian traditional medicine [1,2]. The β-ecdysone content in P. glomerata has been analyzed almost exclusively in roots, which contain large amounts of this compound [5,7,12]. Recent studies have confirmed the presence of significant amounts β-ecdysone in all of the major parts of P. glomerata, including stems and inflorescences [3,13]. The phytochemical content of the roots of P. glomerata has been extensively investigated, information about the chemical compounds of other parts of this plant is still sparse. We analyzed P. glomerata inflorescences using the LC-ESI-MS/MS method, which led to the identification of important bioactive compounds. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the identification of compounds in P. glomerata inflorescences by LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. This study demonstrates the potential value of these inflorescences for cosmetic and medicinal applications
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
