Research Article

Determination of carbohydrates in medicinal plants-comparison between TLC, mf-MELDI-MS and GC-MS

  1. Muhammad Nasimullah Qureshi1,4,
  2. Guenther Stecher1,2,*,
  3. Tahira Sultana1,5,
  4. Gudrun Abel3,
  5. Michael Popp3,
  6. Guenther K. Bonn1

Article first published online: 25 MAR 2011

DOI: 10.1002/pca.1280

Issue

Phytochemical Analysis

Phytochemical Analysis

Volume 22, Issue 4, pages 296–302, July/August 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Qureshi, M. N., Stecher, G., Sultana, T., Abel, G., Popp, M. and Bonn, G. K. (2011), Determination of carbohydrates in medicinal plants-comparison between TLC, mf-MELDI-MS and GC-MS. Phytochem. Anal., 22: 296–302. doi: 10.1002/pca.1280

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Radiochemistry, Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck, Innrain 52 a, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

  2. 2

    Bionorica Research GmbH, Mitterweg 24, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

  3. 3

    Bionorica AG, Kerschensteinerstr. 11-15, 92318 Neumarkt, Germany

  4. 4

    Medicinal Botanic Centre, PCSIR Laboratories Complex Peshawar, Pakistan

  5. 5

    Department of Environmental Sciences, International Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan

*Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Radiochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52a, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 JUN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 25 MAR 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 16 AUG 2010
  4. Manuscript Revised: 11 AUG 2010
  5. Manuscript Received: 14 JUL 2010

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Keywords:

  • plant extracts;
  • carbohydrates;
  • thin-layer chromatography;
  • mf-MELDI-MS;
  • GC-MS

Abstract

Introduction – Quality control in the pharmaceutical and phytopharmaceutical industries requires fast and reliable methods for the analysis of raw materials and final products.

Objective – This study evaluates different analytical approaches in order to recognise the most suitable technique for the analysis of carbohydrates in herbal drug preparations.

Methodology – The specific focus of the study is on thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC), and a newly developed mass spectrometric method, i.e. matrix free material enhanced laser desorption/ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry (mf-MELDI-MS). Samples employed in the study were standards and microwave-assisted water extracts from Quercus.

Results – TLC analysis proved the presence of mono-, di- and trisaccharides within the biological sample and hinted at the existence of an unknown carbohydrate of higher oligomerisation degree. After evaluation of different derivatisation techniques, GC-MS confirmed data obtained via TLC for mono- to trisaccharides, delivering additionally quantified values under a considerable amount of time. A carbohydrate of higher oligomerisation degree could not be found. The application of mf-MELDI-MS further confirmed the presence of carbohydrates up to trisaccharides, also hinting at the presence of a form of tetrasaccharide. Besides this information, mf-MELDI-MS delivered further data about other substances present in the extract. Quantitative determination resulted in 1.750, 1.736 and 0.336 mg/mL for glucose, sucrose and raffinose respectively.

Conclusion – Evaluation of all three techniques employed, clearly proved the heightened performance of mf-MELDI-MS for the qualitative analysis of complex mixtures, as targets do not need modification and analysis requires only a few minutes. In addition, GC-MS is suitable for quantitative analysis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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