Advances in Phytochemistry, Textile and Renewable Energy Research for
Industrial Growth – Nzila et al. (Eds)
© 2022 Copyright the Author(s), ISBN: 978-1-032-11871-0
Open Access: www.taylorfrancis.com, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
Identification of phenolic compounds in Prosopis juliflora by liquid
chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
S. Chepkwony & A. Kiprop
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
S. Dumarçay, H. Chapuis, P. Gerardin & C. Gerardin-Charbonnier
Inra, LERMaB, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-Lès-Nancy cedex, France
ABSTRACT: A substantive study on the identification of phenolic compounds present in Prosopis juliflora was
undertaken. P. juliflora is known to be highly adapted to dry lands because of its deep taproots which tolerate dry
and waterlogged soils. However, because of its invasive nature, it has spread to undesirable areas like sea shores,
arable lands and roads becoming a great menace. Towards its valorization, this study aimed at identifying the
various phenolic compounds present in it. Plant samples were collected from three different geographical areas in
Kenya; Baringo, Garissa and Turkana Counties. Its acetonic extracts were thereafter analyzed using a reversedphase liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization – tandem mass spectrometry. Identification
of the compounds present was achieved by comparison of experimental retention times and UV-MS spectra
to bibliographic data and standard compounds. Twenty chemical compounds were tentatively identified out of
which fifteen were found either as flavonoid aglycones or some of their glycosylated forms. For the first time,
a new compound believed to be a B-type proanthocyanidin of mesquitol was identified based on the MS/MS
diagnostic ions that resulted from retro-Diels-alder reaction, quinone methide cleavage and heterocyclic ring
fission. The results illustrate a rich array of phenolic compounds present in P. juliflora.
1 INTRODUCTION
Prosopis juliflora, an exogenous plant that is normally known as ‘mathenge’ in Kenya is believed to
have been first introduced in Kenya in 1973. The
reason for this was to rehabilitate the quarries near
the coastal regions (Jama & Zeila 2005; Mwangi &
Swallow 2008; Oduor & Githiomi 2013). It was later
introduced to Baringo County in the early 1980’s by
the Fuel wood Afforestation Extension Project (FAEP)
with the aim of reducing soil erosion and combating
desertification (Dubow 2011; Lenachuru 2003;. It is
traditionally used as a remedy to various diseases like
dysentery, measles, cold, gout, sore throat, diarrhea,
excrescences, dermatological ailments, flu, indigestion, and eye problems like cataracts, inflammation
and wound healing (Khandelwal et al. 2015). Studies
have also shown that P. juliflora has high calorific value
making its wood a good source of fuel wood (Oduor &
Githiomi 2013). Its aqueous fraction has been found
to show antiseptic, astringent and antibacterial properties (Khandelwal, Sharma, & Agarwal 2015; Thakur,
Singh, Singh, & Mani 2014). It is also known to present
anti-termite and antifungal properties (Sirmah 2009).
Chilume (2016) posted a feature entitled ‘When a
blessing becomes a curse – A case study of invasive
Prosopis juliflora’ in the University of Auckland blog.
She talks about the drastic changes over the years that
have been caused by the wide spread of P. juliflora
after its introduction in Botswana. She highlights the
fact that there is a public outcry from the locals living
in the invaded areas who prefer complete eradication
of the plant (Chilume 2016).This cry is shared by many
in several other countries like Kenya, Eritrea and India
(Bokrezion 2008; Mwangi & Swallow 2008; ;atnaik,
Abbasi, & Abbasi 2017). The growing dislike towards
P. juliflora has emerged due to its invasive property that
has seen it rapidly spreading into areas where it was
not initially intended to grow like forests, rangelands
and croplands causing great havoc by affecting both
the natural vegetation and also causing a decrease in
land value towards livestock grazing (Golubov. Mandujano, & Eguiarte 2001). There is therefore a need of
reducing this negative economic impact of P. juliflora
by devising ways of valorizing it. This study therefore
aimed at identifying the various phenolic compounds
present in P. juliflora towards its valorization.
There is an increasing interest in the identification
of novel phenolic compounds due to their versatile health benefits like antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic,
anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, anti-arthritic, cardio protective and antimicrobial activities (Bhuyan & Basu 2017; Kaurinovic &
Vastag 2018; Seeram, Lee, & Scheuller 2006). In
wood, the phenolic extractives protect the lingocellulose from fungal and microbial attack and are found
DOI 10.1201/9781003221968-19
143
Industrial Growth – Nzila et al. (Eds)
© 2022 Copyright the Author(s), ISBN: 978-1-032-11871-0
Open Access: www.taylorfrancis.com, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license
Identification of phenolic compounds in Prosopis juliflora by liquid
chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
S. Chepkwony & A. Kiprop
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya
S. Dumarçay, H. Chapuis, P. Gerardin & C. Gerardin-Charbonnier
Inra, LERMaB, Faculté des Sciences et Technologies, Université de Lorraine, Vandœuvre-Lès-Nancy cedex, France
ABSTRACT: A substantive study on the identification of phenolic compounds present in Prosopis juliflora was
undertaken. P. juliflora is known to be highly adapted to dry lands because of its deep taproots which tolerate dry
and waterlogged soils. However, because of its invasive nature, it has spread to undesirable areas like sea shores,
arable lands and roads becoming a great menace. Towards its valorization, this study aimed at identifying the
various phenolic compounds present in it. Plant samples were collected from three different geographical areas in
Kenya; Baringo, Garissa and Turkana Counties. Its acetonic extracts were thereafter analyzed using a reversedphase liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization – tandem mass spectrometry. Identification
of the compounds present was achieved by comparison of experimental retention times and UV-MS spectra
to bibliographic data and standard compounds. Twenty chemical compounds were tentatively identified out of
which fifteen were found either as flavonoid aglycones or some of their glycosylated forms. For the first time,
a new compound believed to be a B-type proanthocyanidin of mesquitol was identified based on the MS/MS
diagnostic ions that resulted from retro-Diels-alder reaction, quinone methide cleavage and heterocyclic ring
fission. The results illustrate a rich array of phenolic compounds present in P. juliflora.
1 INTRODUCTION
Prosopis juliflora, an exogenous plant that is normally known as ‘mathenge’ in Kenya is believed to
have been first introduced in Kenya in 1973. The
reason for this was to rehabilitate the quarries near
the coastal regions (Jama & Zeila 2005; Mwangi &
Swallow 2008; Oduor & Githiomi 2013). It was later
introduced to Baringo County in the early 1980’s by
the Fuel wood Afforestation Extension Project (FAEP)
with the aim of reducing soil erosion and combating
desertification (Dubow 2011; Lenachuru 2003;. It is
traditionally used as a remedy to various diseases like
dysentery, measles, cold, gout, sore throat, diarrhea,
excrescences, dermatological ailments, flu, indigestion, and eye problems like cataracts, inflammation
and wound healing (Khandelwal et al. 2015). Studies
have also shown that P. juliflora has high calorific value
making its wood a good source of fuel wood (Oduor &
Githiomi 2013). Its aqueous fraction has been found
to show antiseptic, astringent and antibacterial properties (Khandelwal, Sharma, & Agarwal 2015; Thakur,
Singh, Singh, & Mani 2014). It is also known to present
anti-termite and antifungal properties (Sirmah 2009).
Chilume (2016) posted a feature entitled ‘When a
blessing becomes a curse – A case study of invasive
Prosopis juliflora’ in the University of Auckland blog.
She talks about the drastic changes over the years that
have been caused by the wide spread of P. juliflora
after its introduction in Botswana. She highlights the
fact that there is a public outcry from the locals living
in the invaded areas who prefer complete eradication
of the plant (Chilume 2016).This cry is shared by many
in several other countries like Kenya, Eritrea and India
(Bokrezion 2008; Mwangi & Swallow 2008; ;atnaik,
Abbasi, & Abbasi 2017). The growing dislike towards
P. juliflora has emerged due to its invasive property that
has seen it rapidly spreading into areas where it was
not initially intended to grow like forests, rangelands
and croplands causing great havoc by affecting both
the natural vegetation and also causing a decrease in
land value towards livestock grazing (Golubov. Mandujano, & Eguiarte 2001). There is therefore a need of
reducing this negative economic impact of P. juliflora
by devising ways of valorizing it. This study therefore
aimed at identifying the various phenolic compounds
present in P. juliflora towards its valorization.
There is an increasing interest in the identification
of novel phenolic compounds due to their versatile health benefits like antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic,
anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, anti-arthritic, cardio protective and antimicrobial activities (Bhuyan & Basu 2017; Kaurinovic &
Vastag 2018; Seeram, Lee, & Scheuller 2006). In
wood, the phenolic extractives protect the lingocellulose from fungal and microbial attack and are found
DOI 10.1201/9781003221968-19
143