Identification of polyphenolic compounds in the flesh of Argan (Morocco) fruits

Abstract High performance liquid chromatography coupled with negative electrospray ionization (HPLC–ESI) along with fragmentation patterns generated by nano-electrospray ionization (nano-ESI-MS–MS) and NMR techniques were utilized for the identification of phenolic compounds in Argan fruits. A total of 15.4 g/kg was determined represented by catechins (39%), flavonoids (28%), procyanidins (26%), free phenolic acids (6%) and phenolic acid glycosides (1%). Twenty-one phenolic compounds were identified for the first time in Argan fruits namely III . epicatechin-(4 β  → 8)-catechin dimer (procyanidin B 1 ), IV . p -coumaric acid glycoside, VI . epicatechin-(4 β  → 8)-epicatechin dimer (procyanidin B 2 ), VIII . caffeic acid glycoside, XIX . epicatechin-(4 β  → 8)-epicatechin-(4 β  → 8)-epicatechin trimer (procyanidin C 1 ), X . p -hydroxybenzaldehyde XI . ferulic acid glycoside, XII . vanillic acid, XIII . sinapic acid glycoside, XVI . p -coumaric acid, XVII . ferulic acid, XVIII . sinapic acid, XIX . rutin pentoside, XX . quercetin glycopentoside, XXI . 4,4′-dihydroxy-3,3′-imino-di-benzoic acid, XXV . quercetin-3- O -rhamnogalactoside, XXVII . quercetin glycohydroxybenzoate, XXVIII . quercetin glycocaffeate, XXIX . quercetin glycosinapate, XXX . quercetin glycoferulate and XXXI . quercetin glycocoumarate.