HPLC-ESI-MSn characterization of phenolic compounds, terpenoid saponins, and other minor compounds in Bituminaria bituminosa

• The chemical composition of Bituminaria bituminosa (leaves and flowers) is studied.
• More than 40 compounds were detected by HPLC-ESI-MSn.
• The most abundant compounds were glycosylated flavonoids and saponins.
• This plant may have applications in hair care products.

Bituminaria bituminosa is a wild legume that can endure drastic conditions, including contaminated and degraded soils. It has been traditionally used as feeding for livestock, and different uses in folk medicine are known. The chemical composition of leaves and flowers from B. bituminosa is presented for the first time. The screening of phytochemical compounds was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection (HPLC-ESI-MSn). More than 40 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized. A high percentage of the detected compounds corresponded to glycosylated flavonoids, especially from apigenin, although phenolic acids, lignans, and saponins were also identified.