Planta Med 2014; 80 - PP16
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1382711

Analysis of benzethonium chloride, methyl paraben and triclosan from grapefruit seed/grape seed/pomegranate seed extracts using LC-PDA and LC-MS

B Avula 1, YH Wang 1, M Wang 1, IA Khan 1, 2, 3
  • 1National Center for Natural Products Research, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
  • 2Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
  • 3Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Commercial products labeled as grapefruit seed extract (GSE) are promoted as natural antimicrobial agents for both internal and external use. A simple, precise and more sensitive UHPLC analytical method is presented for the simultaneous detection and quantitation of three preservatives namely methyl paraben (1), benzethonium chloride (2), and triclosan (3) in various commercial Grapefruit seed/grape seed/pomegranate seed samples. Compound identity was further confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HRESI-MS). The main constituent identified was benzethonium chloride, a synthetic antimicrobial agent which was found in 5 samples. Positive ion electrospray MS of the commercial GSE sample showed a molecular ion at m/z 412 [M+] that matched with that of a standard of benzethonium chloride. Triclosan detected in three samples and methyl paraben was not detected in all the samples analyzed.