Analysis of phenolics in Anacardium occidentale shoot extracts using a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC-MS)

Two batches of local varieties (red and yellow) of Malaysian traditional vegetables or ‘ulam’, Anacardium occidentale, locally known as ‘gajus’ collected from MARDI Seberang Perai germplasm were screened for phenolic compounds. Quantification of the individual phenolic compounds was carried out using a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC-MS2) subjected to co-chromatography with standards, fragmentation pattern, absorbance spectra and elution order. A total of 15 phenolic compounds in both varieties, mainly flavonol glycosides, were identified. The total flavonols were quantified and found to be significantly (p 0.05) varied between the red and the yellow varieties (12.1 ± 0.3 mg/g fresh weight, fw. in the red variety and 6.4 ± 0.4 mg/g fw. in the yellow variety respectively). Kaempferol-3-O-glucoside is the highest constituent in both varieties followed by kaempferol-3-O-arabinofuranoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside. RP-HPLC-MS2 has efficiently assisted the identification and quantification of the phenolic compounds in two varieties of Anacardium occidentale.