Simultaneous LC-DAD and LC-MS determination of ellagitannins, flavonoid glycosides, and acyl-glycosyl flavonoids in Cistus salvifolius L. leaves

A rapid and inexpensive HPLC method has been developed for simultaneous separation of the three main classes of polyphenol in the leaves of Cistus salvifolius L. Time devoted to extraction of polyphenols, which was performed using small volume of solvent, did not exceed 120 min. We identified three ellagitannins (punicalagin and related compounds), a total of ten glycosyl derivatives of quercetin and myricetin, and two coumaroyl glucosyl kaempferols by use of both diode-array detection (DAD) and mass spectrometry. The polyphenol composition of C. salvifolius leaves, which may contribute to the metabolic plasticity of the species, may explain its distribution in infertile soils of the Mediterranean area, and may also indicate this shrub is an important source of metabolites of potential use in human health care.