Identification of Estrone in Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Extracts by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

There were some reports that the pomegranate juice, seeds, and peel extracts contain steroid hormones including estrone, but the results were controversial. This study was performed to identify estrone in pomegranate extracts through a more sensitive and validated technology. Separation and determination of estrone was carried out using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Low concentration of estrone (4.5±0.38 ng/mL) was detected in pomegranate extracts with adequate precision value. The amount of estrone in pomegranate extracts was calculated as 16.4, 18.2, and 20.2 ng/mL, respectively, adjusted by extraction efficiency (average 25.6%) in the precision verification.