Carotenoid profiling by HPLC-MS/MS of mung bean (Vigna radiata (L) R. wilczek 1854), acclimated to Burkina Faso

Carotenoids represent a family of compounds found in plant foods. They are fascinated by the conjunction of their biological properties in preventing diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancers, and premature aging. Mung bean is a legume of the Vigna genus whose seeds are rich in bioactive compounds, particularly carotenoids. This work aimed to identify the most carotenoids in the seeds of mung beans acclimated to Burkina Faso by HPLC-MS/MS. To achieve this, the seeds were extracted with a cold acetone/hexane mixture (50/50, V/V). After saponification, the crude extract was characterized by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and UV-visible spectrometry. Test methods using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) made it possible to identify the majority carotenoids in the extracts. The thin layer chromatographic profile of the crude extract revealed two spots with Rf = 0.48 and 0.87 corresponding respectively to xanthophylls and carotenes. The UV-visible spectra of the spots each showed an absorption maximum of 450nm. HPLC-MS/MS analysis identified the structures of three carotenoids: β-cryptoxanthin, α-tocopherol, and β-carotene. These compounds identified in V. radiata seeds are very useful in many fields, including pharmaceutical, agri-food and biological. The HPLC-MS/MS technique represents one of the useful and efficient tools for the identification of bioactive substances in crude extracts.