Development of Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry technique for evaluation and differentiation of plant derived isomers

Abstract

Cinnamic acid containing molecules have been shown to possess unprecedented pharmacological activities against various physiological disorders. Most of the plants containing these compounds have been shown to exhibit multiple bioactivities, notably against various diseases which are currently without a cure, for example human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated ailments. As in other plants, most of the pharmacologically relevant metabolites are produced in minute concentrations, and, as such, alternative means to produce high levels of these compounds are imperative. Herein, UV-induced photochemical conversion of cinnamic acid containing molecules is presented as a feasible means to diversify the number of bioactive metabolites in plant extracts. Naturally, UV rays from sunlight were shown to result in the formation of geometrical isomers. The presence of these isomers has resulted in analytical challenge, which has resulted in erroneous identification and isolation of an active isomer. Virtual screening and docking studies provide insights into the potential interactions between molecules and their targets, and can be useful in predicting the biological activity of compounds. This study further shown that synergistic isomerism could be beneficial during inflammation conditions, and it suggests that certain isomers of a compound may work together to enhance the desired therapeutic effect. Herein, liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-qTOF-MS) method capable of distinguishing between these isomers was developed.