Characterization of Catechins from Smilax domingensis Willd. in Cuba

Gas Chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was applied to study the fragmentation of selected flavonoids from the ethanolic extract of Smilax domingensis Willd., Smilacaceae, known as zarzaparrilla, after Soxhlet extraction during 20 hours. Compounds belonging to one of the major subgroups found in common plants, i.e. flavanols were studied. Following solvent extraction and derivatization using BSTFA, possibly two different metabolites from the same chemical group were characterized in one analytical run: (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin. For the very first time, qualitative data on these analytes in the drug were determined after detailed validation of a sensitive, cheap and reliable GC-MS method.