Characterization of Low Molecular Weight Polyphenols from Pine (Pinus radiata) Bark

Characterization of Low Molecular Weight Polyphenols from Pine (Pinus radiata) Bark

Low molecular weight polyphenols were isolated from hot water extracts of radiata pine (Pinus radiata) bark using a Sephadex LH-20 column and characterized by $^1H$ and $^{13}C$ NMR, UV, FT-IR, and GC-MS analyses. Major compounds isolated and identified were protocatechuic acid, trans-taxifolin, and quercetin. Trans-taxifolin, an important intermediate in biosynthetic route of proanthocyanidin (PA), was isolated in large quantities and indicates that PA is a major component of radiata pine bark. Small amounts of polyphenols were identified by GC-MS analysis. The presence of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, cis- and trans-feruic acid, p-coumaric acid, trans-caffeic acid, (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, trans- and cis-taxifolin, (+)-gallocatechin, and quercetin was confirmed by comparison of mass fragmentation patterns and retention times (RT) with authentic samples. In addition, the presence of astringenin, astringenin glycoside, trans- and cis-leucodelphinidin was strongly assumed from characteristic mass fragment ions due to their conjugated structure and retro Diels-Alder reaction, and also from biosynthetic route of PA. GC-MS analysis allowed us to detect small amounts of phenolic acids and flavonoids and eventually discriminate trans- and cis-configuration in the identified polyphenols.