UHPLC/HRMS analysis of African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) seeds, seed extracts, and African mango based dietary supplements

Dietary Supplements based on extract from Irvingia gabonensis (African Mango, or AM) seeds are one of the popular herbal weight loss dietary supplements in the US market. The extract is believed to be a natural and healthy way to lose weight and improve overall health. However, the chemical composition of African mango based-dietary supplements (AMDS) has never been reported. In this study, the chemical constituents of African mango seeds, African mango seeds extract (AMSE), and different kinds of commercially available AMDS have been investigated using an ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) method. Ellagic acid derivatives were found as the major components in African Mango seeds. A wide variation in the constituents was found among AMSE products from China and AMDS products in the U.S. It appears that some manufacturers used regular mango seeds (Mangifera indica L) extract or unknown extracts instead of extract from AM seeds for the production of AMSE and AMDS products.