UPLC-DAD-MS Based Quality Control and Discrimination Analysis of Different Aerial Parts of Crataegus rhipidophylla Gand. Found in Indian Western Himalaya

Abstract

Crataegus rhipidophylla is utilized throughout the world for medicinal, cosmeceutical, food and nutritional purposes. Hence, a reliable analytical method for quality control is the need of hours. Therefore, a UPLC-DAD-MS based quality control method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of targeted polyphenols (protocatechuic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, epigallocatechin gallate, p-coumaric acid, hyperoside, quercetin 3-glycoside, epicatechin gallate, luteolin, quercetin dihydrate and kaempferol) in stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds of C. rhipidophylla. The method was validated using linearity (r2 > 0.999), LOQ, LOD, inter and intra-day precision, stability and recovery studies and found fast (10 min), reproducible and stable. Significant alterations of metabolites in different parts were noticed using the same method. Hyperoside, quercetin, quercetin 3-glycoside, kaempferol, chlorogenic acid, were present in all parts while epicatechin and epicatechin gallate were only present in stems. Moreover, the protocatechuic acid is also present in all aerial parts except seeds. The method was used to understand accumulation and discrimination pattern of metabolites among the different parts. Furthermore, the study will help for the authenticity of plant material, standardization of extracts as well as understand the biosynthesis and accumulation of targeted metabolites in aerial parts of the plant at different intervals/sessions.