Measure your Furanocoumarins like a Pro with the Agilent Pro iQ
Furanocoumarins are natural compounds found in certain plants, including citrus fruits, parsley, celery, and carrots. Citrus oils in particular, are sometimes used in skincare products to effectively remove bacteria, dead skin cells, and irritants to improve overall skin health, address common issues like acne and provide a pleasant scent. *1 However, they can pose risks when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light.
Phytophotodermatitus (PPD) is a reaction that is entirely independent of the immune system. The development of PPD is dependent upon exposure of the skin to a photosensitizing substance (furanocoumarin) and UV radiation, especially in the UV range of 320-400 nm. When a photon of the appropriate wavelength strikes a furanocoumarin, the molecule is raised to a triply exited state from the ground state energy. Once the molecule returns to the ground state, energy is released in the form of heat, fluorescence or phosphorescence which may result in a photoproduct being formed. *2
The chemical structure of furanocoumarins consists of a furan ring fused with a coumarin. The furan ring, fused in various ways, produces several different isomers. The parent compounds of the most common isomers are psoralen and angelicin. Derivatives of these two compounds are referred to respectively as linear and angular furanocoumarins,*3 since they exhibit a linear or angular chemical structure.
The LC/MS method outlined here has been shown to be linear, accurate and precise for the characterization and quantitation of Thirteen common furanocoumarins in citrus oils.
