Enhanced Profiling of Flavonol Glycosides in the Fruits of Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)

Use of enhanced LC–MS/MS methods to identify common glycosyl groups of flavonoid glycosides enabled better characterization of the flavonoids in fruits of sea buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides ). The saccharide moieties of 48 flavonol O-glycosides detected in a methanol extract were identified by these methods. Several of the flavonol glycosides were acylated, two of which were isolated and found to be new compounds. Their structures were determined using spectroscopic and chemical methods as isorhamnetin 3-O-(6-O-E-sinapoyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (24) and isorhamnetin 3-O-(6-O-E-feruloyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-l-rhamnopyranoside (30). Analysis of the acylated glycosyl groups of 24 and 30 by serial mass spectrometry provided evidence to suggest the acylation position of 11 other minor flavonol glycosides acylated with hydroxycinnamic or hydroxybenzoic acids. The nitric oxide scavenging activities of 24 and 30 were compared with those of other flavonoids and with ascorbic acid and the potassium salt of 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1H-imidazolyl-1-oxy-3-oxide (carboxy-PTIO).