HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION AND QUANTITATION OF STEVIOSIDE AND ITS METABOLITES

Abstract

A method of analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed for the separation and quantitation of the metabolites of stevioside: steviol-16,17α-epoxide, 15α-hydroxysteviol, steviolbioside, isosteviol, and steviol. The separation was carried out on a reversed-phase C18 Nova-Pack column with gradient elution of acetonitrile/water mixture. The applicability of the method was demonstrated in the detection and separation of stevioside and its metabolites found in blood, feces, and urine of hamsters after ingestion of stevioside.