Advanced analysis of oligomeric proanthocyanidins: latest approaches in liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry based analysis

Abstract Proanthocyanidins (PAC) are an important and widely spread class of natural products with various bioactivities. The analytical evaluation oligomeric polymeric proanthocyanidins in complex extracts is still challenging, due to the complexity structures. Nevertheless, last 20 years techniques especially field chromatography mass spectrometry have been improved offer exciting possibilities for a deeper insight into plant secondary metabolism. While classical colorimetric methods protocols partial hydrolysis valuable tools new chromatographically spectrometric provide deep insights PAC fine structure, also material. present review focus on recent innovative LC–MS MALDI-TOF methods, strategies advanced processing LC-HRMS data (van Krevelen plots, Kendrick Mass Defect Analysis), MS/MS fragmentation, newest two-dimensional LC × (Offline, Online, Stop-flow-2D) chromatography. Also imaging provides inside distribution within biological samples functional assays.