RP-HPLC-DAD determination of quercetin, luteolin and apigenin in <i>Marchantia covoluta </i>

HPLC methods have been reported to quantify isolated flavonoids or these compounds in complex biological matrices, such as Chinese herbal drugs products from factories. This work was developed to separate quercetin, luteolin and apigenin and to quantify them in extractive solutions from Marchantia covoluta. The main validation parameters of the method are also determined. The method showed linearity for quercetin, luteolin and apigenin in the range 2.0-20.8, 2.2-24.0 and 1.6-20.0 µg/ml respectively. The aqueous and 80% ethanolic extractive solutions showed linear response 1.5-15 µl/ mland 50%extractive solution in range 1.0-10 µl/ml. Precision and accuracy were determined for 80% extractive solution, in concentration of 10 µl/ml. The HPLC method showed an excellent performance in separating the flavonoids quercetm, luteolin and apigenin in M. covoluta extracts, since the presence of interference has been previously evaluated and the mobile phase was chosen carefully Keywords: HPLC, Marchantia covoluta, flavonoids, quercetin, luteolin, apigeniNigerian Journal of Natural Products and Medicine Vol. 9 2005: 73-77