Characterization of supercritical fluid extracts of St. John?s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) by HPLC?MS and GC?MS

Characterization of supercritical fluid extracts of St. John?s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) by HPLC?MS and GC?MS
March 2004
Christoph Seger , , a, c, Harald R?mpp b, Sonja Sturm a, Ernst Haslinger c, Peter C. Schmidt b and Franz Hadacek
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Abstract
Supercritical fluid extracts (carbon dioxide without modifiers) of St. John?s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L., Clusiaceae) were analyzed by GC?MS, HPLC?DAD and HPLC?DAD?MS. Besides the dominating phloroglucinols hyperforin (36.5?1.1%) and adhyperforin (4.6?0.1%), the extracts mainly contained alkanes (predominately nonacosane), fatty acids and wax esters. The apolar components tended to accumulate in a waxy phase resting a top of the hyperforin-enriched phase. No components of higher polarity like naphthodianthrones were found. A set of hyperforin oxidation products was detected and tentatively assigned using HPLC?MS.
Subscription required to view the entire article.