Method for measurement of dietary secoisolariciresinol using HPLC with multichannel electrochemical detection.

We describe a sensitive and specific assay for the determination of the plant lignan secoisolariciresinol, one of the main dietary precursors to the mammalian derived lignans, enterodiol and enterolactone. Quantification of secoisolariciresinol aglycone is achieved by reversephase high-performance liquid chromatography with multichannel electrochemical detection after hydrolysis of the glycoside moieties. This approach affords greater specificity than conventional ultraviolet detection and has a detection limit of 2.8 pmol. The method is ideally suited to the determination of secoisolariciresinol in processed flaxseed samples and can be used to assess the level of incorporation of flaxseed in fortified foods.