Chemical Characterization of Phenolic Compounds
Summary
Phenolic compounds represent a broad and structurally diverse class of plant secondary metabolites, encompassing simple phenolic acids, flavonoids, stilbenes and complex tannins. Their defining feature is one or more aromatic rings bearing hydroxyl substituents, which confer potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Chemical characterisation of these compounds relies chiefly on chromatographic separation coupled with mass spectrometric detection, including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) when volatility permits. High-resolution mass spectrometry and tandem MS (MS/MS) provide accurate mass data and fragmentation patterns for tentative identification, while nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and computational methods such as density functional theory (DFT) support unambiguous structural elucidation. Advances in hyphenated techniques have increased throughput and sensitivity, enabling comprehensive fingerprinting of phenolic profiles in plant extracts, foods and biological fluids. Quantitative analysis, facilitated by diode-array or fluorescence detection, underpins quality control in nutraceuticals and herbal medicines. Interdisciplinary integration of chemometric and bioinformatics tools allows correlation of phenolic composition with biological activity, guiding functional claims and sustainable sourcing of bioactive phytochemicals.
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Chemical Characterization of Phenolic Compounds publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in chemical characterization of phenolic compounds across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phenolic compounds: A class of plant secondary metabolites characterised by one or more hydroxyl groups attached to an aromatic ring, including phenolic acids, flavonoids and tannins.
Flavonoids: Polyphenolic molecules featuring a C6–C3–C6 skeleton, widely distributed in plants and known for antioxidant activity.
Gallotannins: Hydrolyzable tannins formed by galloylation of glucose, contributing to astringency and bioactivity.
Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC): A separation technique employing sub-2 μm particles for high resolution and speed in analytical workflows.
Electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS): A mass analysis method using charged droplets for ion generation and sequential fragmentation to elucidate molecular structure.
References
- Potential Hepatoprotective Effects of Chamaecyparis lawsoniana against Methotrexate-Induced Liver Injury: Integrated Phytochemical Profiling, Target Network Analysis, and Experimental Validation. Antioxidants (2023).
- Phenolic compounds profile of water and ethanol extracts of Euphorbia hirta L. leaves showing antioxidant and antifungal properties. South African Journal of Botany (2019).
- Comparison of Multiple Bioactive Constituents in the Flower and the Caulis of Lonicera japonica Based on UFLC-QTRAP-MS/MS Combined with Multivariate Statistical Analysis. Molecules (2019).
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