Characterization and quantification of flavonoid aglycones and phenolic acids in the hydrolyzed methanolic extract of Caucalis platycarpos using HPLC-DAD-MS/MS

The water extract of burr parsley (Caucalis platycarpos L.) showed remarkable antitumor activity in rats and mice. Phenolic compounds, including phenolic acids and flavonoids, are considered to be the major bioactive compounds. The aim of this work was to develop a reverse phase HPLC-DAD method for the simultaneous quantification of flavonoid aglycones and phenolic acids, and HPLC-DAD-MS/MS method for structural characterization of phenolic compounds, obtained after hydrolysis of C. platycarpos methanolic extract. Caffeic acid was the predominant phenolic acid, and luteolin was the predominant flavonoid aglycone. The optimized and validated method for the determination of the five phenolic acids and four flavonoid aglycones ensured the reliable results and could be used for the quality control of raw plant material.