Ten new crocins, neocrocins B-J (1-9) and 13-cis-crocetin-8'-O-β-d-gentiobioside (14), along with 10 known crocins, were isolated from the fruits of Gardenia jasminoides Ellis (Gardeniae Fructus). The structures of these compounds were elucidated by analyzing HRESIMS, UV/vis, and 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and their neuroprotective effects against hydrogen peroxide- and l-glutamic acid-induced SH-SY5Y cell injury were evaluated. The UPLC-Q/TOF-MS chromatogram of a crocin-rich fraction derived from gardenia fruit extracts was established using the obtained crocin compounds as references. Most of the peaks were identified (the total integral area of the identified peaks accounted for 95% of total peak areas), and bioactive crocins were a large portion of this fraction (the areas of peaks from the neuroprotective compounds accounted for 70% of the total).
Keywords: Gardeniae Fructus; UPLC-Q/TOF-MS; crocin; neuroprotective.