UHPLC-HRMS-based profiling and simultaneous quantification of the hydrophilic phenolic compounds from the aerial parts of Hypericum aucheri Jaub. & Spach (Hypericaceae)

A validated UHPLC-HRMS method was developed to identify and quantify polar phenolic metabolites in the EtOH extract from H. aucheri Jaub. & Spach’s aerial parts. The external standards, chlorogenic acid, mangiferin, and hyperoside were selected in this analysis. Forty-four compounds, encompassing hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids derivatives, benzophenones, catechins, xanthones, flavonols, biflavones, and chromones were detected and quantified in the aerial parts of the titled plant. Pentahydroxyxanthone-C-glycoside 15, maclurin-O-(benzoyl)-hexoside 37, norathyriol-O-(benzoyl)-hexosides 38 and 42 were suggested to be new natural compounds, while maclurin-O-hexoside 2 was reported for the first time for Hypericum genus. Additionally, more than 22 secondary metabolites, including benzophenones, hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, catechins, and a chromone, were identified for the first time in H. aucheri . The amounts of the detected metabolites were calculated relative to external standards. The dominant polar phenolic constituents were chlorogenic acid (11.55 mg/g D.W.) and mangiferin (9.13 mg/g D.W.).