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POLISH JOURNAL OF FOOD AND NUTRITION SCIENCES
www.pan.olsztyn.pl/journal/
e-mail: joan@pan.olsztyn.pl
Pol. J. Food Nutr. Sci.
2007, Vol. 57, No. 4, pp. 471–474
EXTRACTION AND CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION OF TANNIN FRACTIONS FROM
TANNIN-RICH PLANT MATERIAL
Magdalena Karamać, Agnieszka Kosińska, Anna Rybarczyk, Ryszard Amarowicz
Division of Food Science, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn
Key words: tannins, leguminous seeds, nuts, buckwheat, extraction, Sephadex LH-20, column chromatography, protein precipitating capacity
The crude phenolic extracts were obtained from red bean, adzuki bean, red lentil, green lentil, broad bean, faba bean, field bean, vetch, buck-
wheat, buckwheat groat, hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds using 80% (v/v) acetone. The tannin fractions were separated from the crude extracts
using Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography with ethanol and 50% (v/v) acetone. The tannin fractions were characterised by colour reaction with
vanillin/HCl reagent and ability to bovine serum albumin (BSA) precipitation. The yield of extraction of phenolic compounds ranged from 3.77%
(buckwheat) to 17.20% (walnuts). The content of tannin fraction in the crude extracts was differentiated and ranged from 10.5% (faba bean) to 45.5%
(broad bean). The tannin fraction from buckwheat possessed the highest content of tannins determined using vanillin method (1.04 absorbance unit
at 500 nm/mg) whereas the lowest content was noted for broad bean (0.066 absorbance unit at 500 nm/mg). In the model system, the highest amount
of BSA was precipitated by tannin fraction of hazelnuts, whereas the lowest was noted for adzuki bean.
INTRODUCTION
According to a definition of Bate-Smith, tannins are
“water-soluble phenolic compounds having molecular weight
between 500 and 3 000, and besides giving the usual phenolic
reactions, they have special properties such as the ability to
precipitate alkaloids, gelatin and other proteins” [Bate-Smith
& Swein, 1962]. Tannins are divided into three main classes.
The condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) are flavan-3-ol
based biopolymers that at high temperature in alcohol solu-
tions of strong mineral acid release anthocyanidins and cat-
echins as end groups. Gallotannins and ellagitannins belong
to hydrolysable tannins. Gallotaninns are comprised of gal-
loyl esters of glucose or quinic acid whereas ellagitannins are
derivatives of hexahydroxydiphenic acid [Hagerman et al.,
2005]. Phytochemists and nutritionists are used to call tan-
nins “a double-edged sword in biology and health” [Chung et
al., 1998]. Tannins act as an antinutrient compound of plant
origin because they precipitate proteins, inhibit digestive
enzyme, decrease the utilization of vitamins and minerals.
Yet, tannins have also been considered a health-promoting
component in plant-derived foods and beverages. For exam-
ple, tannins have been shown to have anticarcinogenic and
antimutagenic potential, and antimicrobial properties [Cos et
al., 2004; Awika et al., 2006]. Several studies have reported on
antioxidant and antiradical activity of tannins [Amarowicz et
al., 2004; Alasalvar et al., 2006; Amarowicz, 2007].
The aim of the study was to determine yield of tannins
extraction from tannin-rich plant material (1), to compare the
content of tannins fractions separated from the crude extracts
using Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography (2), and to
characterize tannin fractions by vanillin reaction and their
protein precipitating activity (3).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Materials. Seeds of red bean, adzuki bean, red lentil,
green lentil, broad bean, faba bean, field bean, vetch, and
buckwheat were obtained from the Plant Breading Station in
Olsztyn. Roasted buckwheat groat, hazelnuts, walnuts, and
almonds were acquired at a local market in Olsztyn.
Chemicals. Sephadex LH-20, vanillin, bovine serum albu-
min (BSA), sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), were obtained
from Sigma-Aldrich Co. Ltd. (Poznań, Poland). Acetone,
ethanol, and triethanolamine, all analytical grade, were pur-
chased from P.O.Ch. Company (Gliwice, Poland).
Extraction of phenolic compounds. Ground plant
material (20 g) was weighed out into sealable flasks and
160 mL of 80% acetone (v/v) was poured into [Amarowicz
et al., 1995]. Flasks were placed in a water bath at 70°C and
shaken for 15 min. After cooling, supernatant was decant-
ed carefully. Extraction was repeated twice more. Superna-
tants were combined, acetone was evaporated using rota-
ry evaporator at 40°C, and aqueous residue was lyophilised.
Hazelnuts, walnuts, and almonds were defatted using hexane
before extraction.
Author’s address for correspondence: Magdalena Karamać, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul.
Tuwima 10, 10-747 Olsztyn, Poland: tel.: (48 89) 523 46 27; fax: (48 89) 524 01 24; e-mail: magda@pan.olsztyn.pl
© Copyright by Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences
472 M. Karamać et al.
Isolation of tannins. The crude phenolic extract (2 g)
dissolved in 20 mL of ethanol was applied on a column
(5 × 40 cm) packed with Sephadex LH-20 gel. Ethanol (1L),
used as first eluent, allowed removing low molecular weight
phenolic compounds. Then 600 mL of 50% acetone (v/v)
was used to elute tannins. Solvent from tannin fractions was
removed using rotary evaporator, and water was removed
during lyophilisation.
Content of condensed tannins. The content of con-
densed tannins in such obtained materials was determined
according to a modified vanillin assay [Price et al., 1978].
Tannin fractions were dissolved in methanol (0.5 mg/mL).
To 1 mL of prepared solution, 5 mL of vanillin/HCl reagent
(0.5 g vanillin in 4% hydrochloric acid in methanol (v/v)) was
added. Samples and controls (without vanillin) were allowed
to stand for 20 min in darkness and then absorbance at
500 nm was read. Results were expressed as absorbance units
per 1 mg of tannin fraction.
BSA precipitation method. To 1 mL of tannin solution
in water (1 mg/mL), 2 mL of bovine serum albumin solu-
tion in 0.2 mol/L acetic buffer, pH 5.0 with 0.17 mol/L NaCl
(1 mg/mL) was added and mixed carefully [Hagerman &
Butler, 1978]. After 15 min the samples were centrifuged at
5000 g for 15 min. The supernatant was removed, and pel-
let was dissolved in 4 mL of aqueous solution containing
1% SDS and 4% triethanolamine. Then 1 mL of 0.01 mol/L
FeCl3 in 0.01 mol/L HCl was added. After 30 min the absor-
bance was recorded at 510 nm. Results were expressed as
absorbance units per 1 mg of tannin fraction.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The range of solvent used for extraction of various groups
of phenolic compounds from plant material is very broad
and includes water, methanol, ethanol, water-ethanol, water-
-methanol, acetone-water, dimethyl-formamid-water [Ama-
rowicz et al., 1995; Naczk et al., 2005, 2007]. According to
Amarowicz et al. [1995], 80% acetone (v/v) ensured the most
complete extraction of phenolic compounds from lentil seeds,
especially of flavonols and tannins. The high capability of
acetone-water system to extract phenolic compounds and
high antioxidant activity of the extracts obtained this way was
confirmed by Troszyńska et al. [1993], Naczk et al. [2005],
Rocha-Guzmán et al. [2007], and Pegg et al. [2007].
The yield of extraction is presented on Figure 1. The
result ranged from 3.77% (buckwheat) to 17.2% (walnuts)
and they were in order of walnuts > almonds ~ hazelnuts >
red bean > red lentil ~ green lentil ~ vetch ~ field bean >
broad bean ~ faba bean > adzuki bean > buckwheat groat
~ buckwheat. These results are in accordance with litera-
ture data. The yield of extraction from whole grains (wheat,
barley, rye, oat, buckwheat) using 80% methanol (shaking at
20°C for 40 min) ranged from 3.82% (oat) to 7.44% (rye cv.
Dańkowskie Złote) [Zieliński & Kozłowska, 2000]. The con-
tent of the 70% acetone extract in common bean cultivars
reported by Rocha-Guzmán et al. [2007] was 6.13% – 6.83%
(extraction for 24 h at room temperature). Different variet-
ies of cow pea (Vigna unguicula (L.) Walp.) seeds were char-
acterized by the content of the extracts from 4.00% to 9.73%
[Siddhuraju & Becker, 2007] (extraction using 70% acetone
at 25°C for 24 h). A yield of extraction (10% - 15%) from
sage using ethanol-water mixture was reported by Durling et
al. [2007].
The content of tannin fractions in the crude extracts was
differentiated and ranged from 10.5% (faba bean) to 45.5%
(broad bean) (Figure 2). The results were in order of broad
bean > vetch > walnuts ~ adzuki bean ~ buckwheat > red
bean ~ field bean ~ buckwheat groat > almonds ~ red len-
til ~ green lentil ~ hazelnuts > faba bean. For Sephadex LH-
-20 column chromatography the first solvent used was ethanol.
Ethanol can elute low-molecular weight phenolics together
with sugars. Condensed tannins are available to be eluted with
the system acetone-water (1:1; v/v). Therefore the high content
of phenolic compounds in the extract can be caused also by the
content of sugars in the crude extract. It seems to be interesting
to compare in the future the content of sugars and tannin frac-
tions in the crude extracts in tannin-rich plant material.
The vanillin/HCl reaction is the principal colorimetric
method used for determination condensed tannins and fla-
van-3-ols (catechins) in plant material. In our study only con-
6.12 4.55 5.39 5.29 4.94 4.83 5.15 5.22 3.77 3.94 8.48 17.2 8.88
0
4
8
12
16
20
Red bean
Adzuki bean
Red lentil
Green lentil
Broad bean
Faba bean
Field bean
Vetch
Buckwheat
Buckwheat groat
Hazelnuts
Walnuts
Almonds
Extraction yield (%)
FIGURE 1. Extraction yield of crude phenolics (%) from tannin-rich
plant material.
13.3
21.1
12.114.5
19.130.1
15.5
10.545.512.5
13.2
20.5
16.6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Red bean
Adzuki bean
Red lentil
Green lentil
Broad bean
Faba bean
Field bean
Vetch
Buckwheat
Buckwheat groat
Hazelnuts
Walnuts
Almonds
Tannin fraction content (%)
FIGURE 2. Content (%) of tannin fractions in the crude phenolic
extracts.
473
Extraction and chromatography of tannins
densed tannins gave the colour reaction with vanillin reagent
because catechins were eluted with methanol from the col-
umn as the low-molecular phenolic fraction. The content of
tannins in this work was expressed as absorbance units per
1 mg of tannin fraction (A500/mg). The tannin fraction from
buckwheat (1.04) possessed the highest content of tannins
determined using vanillin method whereas the lowest content
was noted for broad bean (0.066) (Figure 3). The results were
in order of buckwheat ~ buckwheat groat > hazelnuts >
almonds > red bean > green lentil ~ vetch ~ adzuki bean >
red lentil > faba bean > walnuts ~ field pea ~ broad bean.
The presence of tannins in leguminous seeds has been report-
ed by several authors [Ariga et al., 1988; Ariga & Hamano,
1990; Chavan et al., 1999; De Pascual et al., 2000; Amarow-
icz et al., 2000; Dueñas et al., 2002, 2003, 2004]. The content
of tannins in tannin fractions separated in this study from
buckwheat, buckwheat groat, hazelnuts, almonds, and red
bean was higher than that reported by Naczk et al. [2001] for
the extracts of canola and rapeseed hulls (0.007–0.286 absor-
bance units at 500 nm /mg). The content of tannins in tan-
nin fractions from beach pea and evening primrose was 0.684
and 1.328, absorbance unit at 500 nm/mg, respectively [Ama-
rowicz et al., 2000].
Figure 4 characterises the ability of tannin fraction to pre-
cipitate bovine serum albumin (BSA), results are reported
as absorbance units at 510 nm/mg. In the model system the
highest amount of BSA was precipitated by tannin fraction
of hazelnuts (0.560), the lowest result was noted for adzu-
ki bean (0.006). The results were in order of hazelnuts >
walnuts > buckwheat groat > buckwheat > almonds > red
bean ~ red lentil > faba bean ~ vetch ~ field bean ~ broad
bean > green lentil > adzuki bean. Naczk et al. [1996] using
the same method reported the protein precipitating capac-
ity of crude canola tannins app. 0.03 absorbance units at
510 nm/ mg. Tannin fractions separated from wild blueber-
ry leaves and fruits exhibited BSA precipitating activity of
0.651 and 0.742 absorbance units at 510 nm/mg [Naczk et
al., 2006].
In this study the high content of condensed tannins deter-
mined using vanillin method in the case of buckwheat, buck-
wheat groats, and hazel-nuts was correlated well with the pro-
tein precipitating capacity (Figures 3 and 4). Very week BSA
precipitating activity of the tannin fractions separated from the
almonds and leguminous seeds was caused by the low degree
of polymerisation of tannins. Walnuts tannins showed a week
colour reaction with vanillin reagent but strong BSA precip-
itating activity (Figures 3 and 4). This phenomenon can be
explained by the presence of hydrolysable tannins in walnuts.
This class of tannins does not react with vanillin but is able to
make complexes with BSA. This explanation is in accordance
with results of Amarowicz et al. [2007] who found in walnuts
the presence of gallotannins and ellagotannins.
CONCLUSIONS
The extraction with 80% acetone (v/v) together with a
Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography with ethanol and
50% acetone as mobile phases are a useful method for tan-
nins separation from tannin-rich plant material. The method
is characterized by a high repeatability. Among investigated
plants the richest source of tannins were buckwheat and nuts.
Most probably hydrolysable tannins are responsible for pro-
tein precipitating activity of the walnut extract.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We acknowledge financial support of the Polish Minis-
try of Science and Higher Education for 2005-2007; research
project 2P06T 08529.
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EKSTRAKCJA I CHROMATOGRAFICZNE WYODRĘBNIANIE FRAKCJI TANINOWYCH Z BOGATEGO
W TANINY MATERIAŁU ROŚLINNEGO
Magdalena Karamać, Agnieszka Kosińska, Anna Rybarczyk, Ryszard Amarowicz
Instytut Rozrodu Zwierząt i Badań Żywności Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Oddział Nauki o Żywności, Olsztyn, Polska
Surowe ekstrakty związków fenolowych uzyskano z czerwonej fasoli, fasoli adzuki, zielonej i czerwonej soczewicy, bobu, bobiku, peluszki,
wyki, gryki, kaszy gryczanej, orzechów laskowych, orzechów włoskich i migdałów stosując 80% (v/v) aceton. Frakcje taninowe wyodrębnio-
ne z ekstraktów na drodze chromatografii kolumnowej na żelu Sephadex LH-20 z etanolem i 50% (v/v) acetonem scharakteryzowano reak-
cją barwną z odczynnikiem wanilinowym oraz poprzez zdolność do precypitacji albuminy surowicy bydlęcej (BSA). Ekstrakcyjność wahała
się od 3,77% (gryka) do 17,20% (orzech włoski). Zawartość frakcji taninowej w surowym ekstrakcie wahała się od 10,50% (bobik) do 45,50%
(bób). Posługując się metodą wanilinową największą zawartość tanin stwierdzono we frakcji acetonowej z gryki (1.04 jednostki absorbancji
przy 500 nm/mg), najniższą w przypadku bobu (0.066 jednostki absorbancji przy 500 nm/mg). W badaniach modelowych najwyższą zdol-
nością do precypitacji BSA charakteryzowała się frakcja taninowa z orzechów laskowych, najniższą zdolność zanotowano w przypadku frak-
cji taninowej z fasoli adzuki.