Carotenoid composition in petals of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura)

Sixteen xanthophylls were isolated from the petals of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura). Among them, (3S,5S,6R,3'R,6'R)-5,6-dihydro-5,6-dihydroxylutein (1) and five di-Z geometrical isomers of lutein-5,6-epoxide, i.e., 9Z,13'Z (2), 13Z,9'Z (3), 9'Z,13'Z (4), 9Z,13Z (5), and 9Z,9'Z (7), had never before been identified as natural products. All of the carotenoids isolated from chrysanthemum, except for (9Z)-violaxanthin, are beta,epsilon-carotene (alpha-carotene) derivatives. The analyses indicate that carotenoids from the petals of chrysanthemum have a very characteristic composition.