Preparation, characterization and usage of molecularly imprinted polymer for the isolation of quercetin from hydrolyzed nettle extract

Abstract

Quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone, QC) is a health-beneficial flavonoid, widely occurring in leaves, fruits, and flowers of various plants. In this work aiming isolation, purification and pre-concentration of QC, QC imprinted polymers (QC-MIPs) in different molar ratios {template:monomer:cross-linker (1:4:20, 1:5:30, 1:8:40, 1:10:50)} were prepared thermally through bulk polymerization by using QC as the template molecule, 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP), methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylamide (AA) as the functional monomers, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA) as the cross-linker and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator in the porogens of acetone and tetrahydrofuran. Their recognition and selectivity properties were investigated in solutions containing QC and other similar-structure phenolics by equilibrium binding experiments using different proportions of acetonitrile (ACN)-dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) mixtures and methanol (MeOH) as solvents. The MIP with 1:4:20 molar ratio of QC:4-VP:EDMA was established as the most suitable for recognition of QC. Sorption parameters of the MIP and the NIP (non-imprinted polymer) were calculated by using Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms with QC solutions in ACN:DMSO (98:2, v/v). The mentioned MIP was found to be highly selective for quercetin over other phenolic compounds (rutin, catechin, etc.). Thus, molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) procedures were applied for selective pre-concentration and purification of QC from synthetic mixtures of phenolic compounds and nettle extract, known as a source of official and folk medicine. The results demonstrated the possibility of direct extraction of certain pharmacophoric constituents such as QC and QC derivatives from nettle by MIP separation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.