Furanocoumarins from Peucedanum Tauricum Bieb

A rapid and sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method has been used for determination of furanocoumarins in methanolic extracts of Peucedanum tauricum Bieb. HPLC separation was performed on a C18 analytical column (250 mm × 4 mm i.d., 5-μm particles) with a methanol–water gradient as mobile phase. A second chromatographic system with an acetonitrile–water gradient was also developed independently. Diode-array detection was performed between 220 and 400 nm and in quantitative analysis compounds were detected at 320 nm. Calibration plots were linear for 0.01–0.2 mg mL bergapten and peucedanin in methanol (injection volume 10 μL). Before HPLC, samples were purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE). Oxypeucedanin hydrate (oPh), bergapten (5-MOP), oxypeucedanin (oP), peucedanin (P), 8-methoxypeucedanin (mP), and isoimperatorin (isoIMP) were detected and identified in extracts of P. tauricum. Total amounts of furanocoumarins determined by SPE–HPLC were 8.31 mg g dry wt (0.83%) in flowers, 20.49 mg g dry wt (2.05%) in immature fruits, and 21.30 mg g dry wt (2.13%) in mature fruits. The predominant coumarin compound in the reproductive organs was peucedanin – 5.04 mg g dry wt (0.50%) in flowers, 13.58 mg g dry wt (1.36%) in immature fruits, and 13.51 mg g dry wt (1.35%) in completely mature fruits. The predominant furanocoumarin in the leaves, however, was 8-methoxypeucedanin – from 0.55 mg g to 1.02 mg g dry wt (0.06–0.10%). The furanocoumarin content of the plant extracts correlated with period of development and the part of the plant (generative