Analysis of neolignans compounds of Piper regnellii (Miq.) C. DC. var. pallescens (C. DC.) Yunck by HPLC.

A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed and validated for quantitative determination of neolignans in extracts of Piper regnellii var. pallescens. The analysis were carried out on a Metasil ODS column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) at 30 degrees C, using as mobile phase acetonitrile-water (60:40, v/v) containing 2% acetic acid. The flow rate was 1.0 ml/min and the detection was at 280 nm. The validation using conocarpan as standard demonstrated that the method presents linearity (linear correlation coefficient=0.9991), precision (relative standard deviation <5%) and accuracy (mean recovery=104.55%) in the concentration range 31.25-500 microg/ml. The limit of detection (LOD) was 1.68 microg/ml and the limit of quantitation was 5.60 microg/ml. This method allowed the identification and quantification of conocarpan, eupomatenoid-5 and eupomatenoid-6 in the hydroethanolic extracts obtained from the leaves, stems and roots by maceration process. All the extracts showed the same chromatographic profile, being that the extract of the roots presented the highest concentration of neolignans.