Condensed tannins from steamed Acacia mearnsii bark

The optimum steaming conditions for extraction of condensed tannins from Acacia meamsii bark were explored, after which characterization of proanthocyanidins from bark steamed under optimum conditions was carried out. The optimum conditions were as follows: steaming time, 30 min; steaming temperature, 140 degrees C; and water volume, 75 ml. The total phenolics content obtained under these conditions amounted to 25.31 %, which was much higher than the 21.70% obtained by conventional hot water extraction. Six proanthocyanidin dinners were isolated from the steamed bark. Analysis revealed them to be fisetinidol-(4 beta-8)-catechin, fisetinidol-(4 alpha-8)-catechin, robinetinidol-(4 beta-8)-catechin, robinetinidol-(4 alpha-8)-catechin, robinetinidol-(4 beta-8)-gallocatechin, and robinetinidol-(4 alpha-8)-gallocatechin. Proanthocyanidin polymers were found to consist mainly of prorobinetinidin extender units, similar to those obtained from the same bark by conventional extraction with 70% acetone aqueous solution. However, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography analyses suggested that during steaming the polymers undergo condensation reactions, as well as inversion of the configuration of interflavanoid bonds.