A rapid and accurate method for the quantitative estimation of natural polysaccharides and their fractions using high performance size exclusion chromatography coupled with multi-angle laser light scattering and refractive index detector

• A rapid and accurate method for quantitative analysis of natural polysaccharides.
• No need of polysaccharides standard for calibration curve.
• Free of acid hydrolysis.

In this study, a rapid and accurate method for quantitative analysis of natural polysaccharides and their different fractions was developed. Firstly, high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) was utilized to separate natural polysaccharides. And then the molecular masses of their fractions were determined by multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS). Finally, quantification of polysaccharides or their fractions was performed based on their response to refractive index detector (RID) and their universal refractive index increment (dn/dc). Accuracy of the developed method for the quantification of individual and mixed polysaccharide standards, including konjac glucomannan, CM-arabinan, xyloglucan, larch arabinogalactan, oat β-glucan, dextran (410, 270, and 25 kDa), mixed xyloglucan and CM-arabinan, and mixed dextran 270K and CM-arabinan was determined, and their average recoveries were between 90.6% and 98.3%. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were ranging from 10.68 to 20.25 μg/mL, and 42.70 to 68.85 μg/mL, respectively. Comparing to the conventional phenol sulfuric acid assay and HPSEC coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (HPSEC-ELSD) analysis, the developed HPSEC-MALLS-RID method based on universal dn/dc for the quantification of polysaccharides and their fractions is much more simple, rapid, and accurate with no need of individual polysaccharide standard, as well as free of calibration curve. The developed method was also successfully utilized for quantitative analysis of polysaccharides and their different fractions from three medicinal plants of Panax genus, Panax ginseng, Panax notoginseng and Panax quinquefolius. The results suggested that the HPSEC-MALLS-RID method based on universal dn/dc could be used as a routine technique for the quantification of polysaccharides and their fractions in natural resources.