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Planta Med 2016; 82(14): 1302-1307
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-105444
Natural Product Chemistry and Analytical Studies
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

An HPLC-ELSD Method for the Determination of Triterpenes in Sorbus decora and Sorbus americana Bark Used by the Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nation

Ammar Saleem
1   Laboratory for the Analysis of Natural and Synthetic Environmental Toxins, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
,
Rui Liu
1   Laboratory for the Analysis of Natural and Synthetic Environmental Toxins, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
,
José A. Guerrero-Analco
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
3   El Instituto de Ecología, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
,
Anna Bailie
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
4   Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, MacDonald College of McGill, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada
,
Brian Foster
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
,
Alain Cuerrier
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
5   Jardin botanique de Montréal, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
,
Timothy Johns
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
4   Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, MacDonald College of McGill, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, Canada
,
Pierre S. Haddad
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
6   Department of Pharmacology and Montréal Diabetes Research Centre, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
,
John Thor Arnason
1   Laboratory for the Analysis of Natural and Synthetic Environmental Toxins, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
2   CIHR Team in Aboriginal Antidiabetic Medicines, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 17 December 2015
revised 14 March 2016

accepted 16 March 2016

Publication Date:
10 May 2016 (online)

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Abstract

Sorbus decora and Sorbus americana are used traditionally as medicine by the Eeyou Istchee Cree First Nation of the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada. Because the ethanol extracts of the bark and the isolated terpenes of these plants have shown promising in vivo antidiabetic effects, an analytical method was developed and validated by RP-HPLC-ELSD for the identification and quantification of eight lupane- and ursane-type terpenes. The extraction method reproducibly recovered the compounds above 70 % and the chromatographic separation of betulin, 23-hydroxy-betulin, 23,28-dihydroxylupan-20(29)-ene-3β-caffeate, betulinic acid, α-amyrin, uvaol, 3β,23,28-trihydroxy-12-ursene, and 23,28-dihydroxyursan-12-ene-3β-caffeate was achieved within 27 min by linear gradient. The method produced highly reproducible quantitative data at interday and intraday levels. The limits of detection were in the ng level on-column with remarkable range and linearity. The target compounds were present at mg levels in the populations, collected from inland (Mistissini and Nemaska) and costal (Waskagnish and Chisasibi) Cree communities of northern Quebec. A triterpene, 23-hydroxybetulin, was the most abundant, while betulinic acid and uvaol were minor constituents. Overall, HPLC-ELSD analyses produced very similar profiles and contents of the eight compounds in the plants collected from four geographic locations. The developed HPLC-ELSD method can be used as a targeted analysis of triterpenes in these medicinal plants.

Key words

Sorbus decora - Sorbus americana - Rosaceae - RP-HPLC-ELSD - triterpenes - Cree
 

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