Characterization of phenolic acids and flavonoids in dandelion (Taraxacum officinale WEB. ex WIGG.) root and herb by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Phenolic acids and flavonoids were extracted from a dandelion (Taraxacum officinale WEB. ex WIGG.) root and herb juice and characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Among the 43 compounds detected, 5 mono- and dicaffeoylquinic acids, 5 tartaric acid derivatives, 8 flavone and 8 flavonol glycosides were characterized based on their UV spectra and their fragmentation patterns in collision-induced dissociation experiments. The predominant compound was chicoric acid (dicaffeoyltartaric acid). Furthermore, several caffeoylquinic acid isomers were distinguished in dandelion extracts for the first time by their specific mass spectral data. The present study reveals that even more quercetin glycosides were found in dandelion than hitherto assumed. The occurrence of di- and triglycosylated flavonoids in particular has not yet been described. This paper marks the first report on HPLC-DAD/ESI-MSn investigations of phenolic compounds in dandelion.