TLC Determination of Tannins and Flavonoids in Extracts

from Some Erodium Species using Chemically Modified

Stationary Phases
Izabela Fecka* and Wojciech Cisowski

Key Words:
HPTLC
Erodium
Ellagitannins
Flavonoids
Gallotannins
Geraniin

Summary
Natural phenolic compounds, e.g. ellagitannins, gallotannins, and
flavonoid glycosides, from the aerial parts of Erodium cicutarium
(Geraniaceae) have been isolated and identified. The structures of
these compounds were determined by conventional methods of
analysis and confirmed by MS and NMR spectral analysis. The distribution of tannins and flavonoids in E. ciconium, E. cicutarium,
E. manescavi, and E. pelargoniiflorum were examined by TLC on
unmodified silica gel and on silica gel chemically modified with
polar and nonpolar groups (HPTLC Si 60, HPTLC Si 60 LiChrospher, HPTLC diol, HPTLC CN, and HPTLC RP-18W).

This paper was presented

at the Symposium
Planar Chromatography 2002,
Hvz, Hungary,
May 1113, 2002

ed the presence of tannins, with geraniin as the main compound,

flavonoid glycosides, and phenolic acids [6, 8]. In our work we
have examined the polyphenol content of water and methanol
extracts of four Erodium species. Phenolic compounds such as
tannins and flavonoid glycosides have been examined by use of
chromatographic techniques.

2 Material and Methods

2.1 Plant Material

1 Introduction
E. cicutarium (common storks bill) is an annual or perennial
herb indigenous to Europe, Asia, and North America. E. ciconium, E. manescavi, and E. pelargoniiflorum are Mediterranean
plants. Species from Erodium genera are usually used for
preparing astringent and antiseptic teas. In traditional medicine
decoctions from the aerial parts of E. cicutarium was recommended for treatment of dysentery, fever, wounds, and worm
infections [1, 2]. Biological studies have shown that both water
and methanol extracts from E. cicutarium have an antiviral
effect against Herpes virus type 1, Vesicular stomatitis, Vaccinia
virus and myxoviruses [3]. The strongest viricidal fractions contain polyphenols [4]. In immunological tests the low concentrations of methanol extract from E. cicutarium, stimulated the
free radical activity of human granulocytes in vitro whereas the
high concentrations inhibited this activity [5]. This observation
was in agreement with described antioxidant properties of seven
species of French Erodium [6, 7]. Previous papers have reportI. Fecka and W. Cisowski, Department of Pharmacognosy, Wroclaw Medical
University, pl. Nankiera 1, 50-140 Wroclaw, Poland.

Journal of Planar Chromatography

The species from the Erodium genera (Geraniaceae) analyzed

were: E. ciconium (L.) L.Hrit., E. cicutarium (L.) L.Hrit., E.
manescavi Cosson, and E. pelargoniiflorum Boiss. et Heldreich.
All herbs, at the flowering stage, were collected in Poland in
September 1998. E. cicutarium (L.) L.Hrit. was obtained from
a natural habitat. The other species were cultivated from selected seeds (Jardin Botanique Nantes, France) at the herbarium of
the Wroclaw Medical University.
2.2 Preparation of Extracts and Isolation of Polyphenols

The air-dried and powdered E. cicutarium herb (0.3 kg) was

extracted three times with 1:1 wateracetone at room temperature [9, 10]. The crude wateracetone extract was filtered and
concentrated under reduce pressure at 40C. The aqueous
residue was acidified with formic acid to pH 3 and adsorbed on
an octadecyl column (545; J.T. Baker, USA). Polyphenol compounds were separated by use of a watermethanol solvent gradient (9 + 1, 8 + 2, 7 + 3, 6 + 4, 5 + 5; v/v). Final purification was
performed on Sephadex LH-20 (550; Pharmacia, Sweden)
with methanol or acetonemethanol mixtures (9 + 1, 8 +
2, 7 + 3; v/v). Both methanol and water extracts were prepared
VOL. 15. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2002
DOI: 10.1556/JPC.15.2002.6.7

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