January - March 2009, Volume 5, Issue 1

Dragomirescu A, Muresan A, Alexa E, Andoni M

A HPLC evaluation of genistein - an estrogen mimetic phytoestrogen - in glycine max (soy) beans

Acta Endo (Buc) 2009, 5 (1): 41-47
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2009.41

Background. Phytoestrogens are a heterogenic chemical category in which are\r\nincluded: isoflavones (genistein, daitzein, glycitein, biochianin A, formononetin, equol),\r\nsome lignans from cereals, cumestrans, some components of volatile oils (anetol, scareol),\r\nsome steroid saponins (diosgenin) and some phytosterols (beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol).\r\nGenistein is the most discussed phytoestrogenic substance, because it is very well\r\nrepresented in the botanical sources - especially in Fabaceae (Leguminosae) species, and\r\nmainly in soybeans.\r\nAim. The actual study evaluates the quantity of genistein in soybeans\r\nMethods. We used three extraction techniques: extraction with hydrolysis, extraction\r\nwithout hydrolysis and, finally, extraction with hydrolysis and clean-up and HPLC\r\nidentification.\r\nResults The experimental results indicated the content of genistein /g soya using the\r\nextraction techniques described.\r\nConclusions. Our study shows that extraction without hydrolysis followed by HPLC\r\nchromatographic method detects the genistein from vegetal sources and offer a good\r\nmethod, proposed by us for the drug industry.

Keywords: genistein, estrogen-mimetic substance, Fabaceae, soybean, HPLC.

Correspondence: A. Dragomirescu, Department of. Dermatopharmacy and Cosmetology,\r\nUniversity of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Piata Eftimie Murgu, Timisoara, Romania, tel (40)\r\n0726.503.896 Email: ancadrag65@yahoo.com