Application of NMR Spectroscopy in Plant Polyphenols Associated with Human Health

Abstract

Polyphenols have been recognized as one of the largest and most widespread groups of plant secondary metabolites with marked antioxidant properties as well as recently recognized specific biological properties associated with prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, various cancers and type II diabetes. Within plant kingdom, over 50,000 of structurally diverse polyphenols are present, and their characterization stands as a challenge. In recent years, renewed interest in extraction, isolation and identification of polyphenols especially flavonoids from plant sources have become the core research in food chemistry, pharmacognosy and modern medicinal biochemistry. The NMR spectroscopy, which provides a rapid and nondestructive method for profiling of polyphenols by identification of the characteristic structural features through structural assignments, has been addressed in this chapter.

Keywords: Antioxidant, Flavonoids, Lignans, Mass Spectrometry, NMR structural assignments, Phenolics, Polyphenols, Stilbenes.

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