HPLC analysis of the flavonoids in pharmaceutical preparations from Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)

Solidago canadensis L., Canadian goldenrod (Asteraceae) has been used in European phytotheraphy for centuries as a component of urological and antiphlogistical remedies. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with diode-array detection (DAD) and online mass spectrometry (MS) has been used for the separation and quantification of phenolics (chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rutinoside (nicotiflorin), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-rutinoside (rutin), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactoside (hyperoside), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside (isoquercitrin), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-rhamnoside (quercitrin), kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (afzelin) and quercetin from Solidaginis herba. Extracts have been obtained using different technologies. Three aqueous and three alcoholic extracts were studied separately Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography separation of polyphenols on octadecyl sorbent Hypersil was performed, using acetonitrile: acetic acid 2.5 v/v % as eluent in gradient elution. Our results confirm previous reports concerning the presence of several flavonoids. Quantification of the main quercetin glycosides in pharmaceuticals is also reported.