Analysis of flavonoids in commercially zvailable lignosus rhinocerus dried powder extract by reversed-phase High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (RP-HPLC)

Abstract

The Lignosus rhinocerus (L. rhinocerus) mushroom is a relatively newly discovered mushroom that is native to the tropical rainforests of Malaysia and has been used by the aboriginal tribes of Pahang, Malaysia for hundreds of years to treat various ailments and health conditions. This research was carried out to determine the flavonoids traces in L. rhinocerus powdered extracts after drying process. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of this mushroom were analysed using a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) via external standard methods of quercetin and kaempferol analytical solutions. The results showed that both prominent flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol) were detected with a minuscule amount (the highest concentration: 250 ppb in methanolic extract) in dried powder extract. The depletion of those active ingredient was due to thermal degradation during the drying process. For that reason, the commercially available Lignosus rhinocerus dried powder extract was considered ineffective for any potential therapeutic usage as all prominent active ingredients were deteriorated post-drying.