Non-targeted molecular characterisation of a rose flower ethyl acetate extract using Ultra-HPLC with atmospheric pressure photoionisation and quadrupole time-of-flight MS/MS.

INTRODUCTION: A non-targeted approach to characterise the phytochemical composition of the flower organ of an original rose cultivar 'Jardin de Granville'® was developed. Particular attention was paid to the less documented molecular families of intermediate polarity, compared with the polyphenol family (anthocyanins, flavonoids, tannins) and volatile compounds. OBJECTIVE: To develop a molecular fingerprinting method for the rapid qualitative phytochemical characterisation of the rose flower ethyl acetate extract. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An ultra-HPLC with atmospheric pressure photoionisation (APPI) and quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) MS/MS combined with microwave-assisted extraction was carried out for ethyl acetate extracts as an intermediate polarity extraction solvent in order to obtain the most exhaustive extract containing a large range of molecular families. An optimised methodology based on the coupling of the UHPLC and APPI source with a QTOF analyser was developed to characterise the extracted molecules. RESULTS: Sixty-one compounds were identified in the extract, covering eight molecular families of intermediate polarity ranging from polyphenols to triglycerides. The presence of flavonoids with anti-oxidant properties and of triterpenoids with potential anti-inflammatory activity was evidenced and cell-wall constituents such as fatty acids, glycolipids, sphingolipids and acylated sterol glycosides were characterised. Some chlorophyll derivatives were also detected. CONCLUSION: The method developed is appropriate for fast phytochemical evaluation of rose ethyl acetate extract. It produced accurate mass and MS/MS spectra, which permitted identification of a wide range of compounds of intermediate polarity.

Phytochemical analysis of Rosa hybrida cv. 'Jardin de Granville' by HPTLC, HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI-HRMS: polyphenolic fingerprints of six plant organs.

The Rosa hybrida cultivar 'Jardin de Granville', a delicate clear pink flower, is here investigated through a progressive analytical strategy using complementary phytochemical screening methods in order to characterize the polyphenol content of several parts of the plant. The microwave hydro-ethanolic extract analysis of six different parts of the plant, carried out by High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Diode Array Detector (HPLC-DAD) enabled initial identification of the polar molecular families present in each organ, namely tannins and flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol derivatives). The HPLC fingerprints displayed different profiles for each organ, attesting to the original composition and potential valuation of the different plant parts. More detailed analyses of the extracts were then carried out by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry with a Q-TOF analyzer (ESI-HR-Q-TOF). Around 60 compounds were identified, mainly gallo-tannins, ellagi-tannins, catechin derivatives and glycoside derivatives of quercetin and kaempferol. Some compounds such as hyperoside or ellagic acid appeared to be ubiquitous and were found in abundance in each plant part. Woods were the richest organ in catechin and proanthocyanidin derivatives while kaempferol derivatives were more numerous and abundant in bud and flower parts.