Identification of Phenolic Compounds in Hibiscus sabdariffa Polyphenolic Rich Extract (HPE) by Chromatography Techniques

The study was designed to determine the phenolic constituents of Hibiscus sabdariffa polyphenolic rich extract (HPE), (a group of phenolic compounds occurring in the dried calyx of the red variety of Hibiscus sabdariffa). While colorimetric analysis revealed that HPE contain high level of total phenolic content (97.9±1.31 mg/g in GAE/g dried weight) combination of results obtained through several chromatographic analyses indicates that phenolic compounds such as ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, naringenin, rutin and quercetin may be present in HPE. These phenolic compounds identified in HPE are known for possessing one pharmacological properties or the other, therefore the presence of these antioxidants phenolic compounds in HPE along with several other phenolics not identified in this study would explain the medicinal principle behind the ethnomedical practices associated with H. sabdariffa.