Adulteration of Ginkgo biloba products and a simple method to improve its detection

Extracts of ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) leaf are widely available worldwide in herbal medicinal products, dietary supplements, botanicals and complementary medicines, and several pharmacopoeias contain monographs for ginkgo leaf, leaf extract and finished products. Being a high-value botanical commodity, ginkgo extracts may be the subject of economically motivated adulteration. We analysed eight ginkgo leaf retail products purchased in Australia and Denmark and found compelling evidence of adulteration with flavonol aglycones in three of these. The same three products also contained genistein, an isoflavone that does not occur in ginkgo leaf.Although the United States Pharmacopeia – National Formulary (USP-NF) and the British and European Pharmacopoeias stipulate a required range for flavonol glycosides in ginkgo extract, the prescribed assays quantify flavonol aglycones. This means that these pharmacopoeial methods are not capable of detecting adulteration of ginkgo extract with free flavonol aglycones.We propose a simple modification of the USP-NF method that addresses this problem: by assaying for flavonol aglycones pre and post hydrolysis the content of flavonol glycosides can be accurately estimated via a simple calculation. We also recommend a maximum limit be set for free flavonol aglycones in ginkgo extract.     

Comprehensive analysis of flavonols in Ginkgo biloba products by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-violet detection and time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The aim of this study was to survey the flavonol compositions of Ginkgo biloba products, especially those on the Japanese market. Sixteen food products, six medicinal products, and raw Ginkgo biloba leaves were examined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultra-violet detection and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Eleven flavonol glycosides, three biflavones, and a flavonol aglycone were qualified by analysis of accurate mass spectra. The quantitative data obtained were then applied to multivariate data analysis, and the flavonol compositions of the food and medicinal products were classified into four groups. Most of the food products were classified into the same group as the medicinal products, which contained high percentages of flavonol glycosides. On the other hand, some food products contained high percentages of biflavones or an aglycone.     

A chemotaxonomic survey of flavonoids in leaves of the Oleaceae

Leaves of 97 taxa representing all the genera at present recognized in the family Oleaceae were surveyed for flavonoids. Four flavonol glycosides were found to be common, the 3-glucmides and 3-rutinosides of quercetin and kaempferol, as were four flavone glycosides, namely the 7-glurosides arid 7-rutinosides of luteolin and apigenin. Among rarer constituents detected were luteolin 4'-glucoside, eriodictyol 7-glucoside, chrysoeriol 7-glucoside, an apigenin-di-C-glycoside and several higher glycosides of quercetin. The species and genera surveyed fell into two groups: those with flavonol glycosides alone; and those with both flavonol and flavone glycosides. The most striking correlation was with chromosome number (and subfamily division) since almost all taxa with a basic number of 11, 13 and 14 had only flavonol glycosides, whereas most taxa with x = 23 had both types of flavonoid. Evolutionary advancement in the family appears to involve the gradual replacement of flavonol by flavone glycosides. Indeed, a few tam, notably Nestegis apelala, Picconia excelsa and Tesserandra fluminense , lacked flavonol glycosides in the leaves completely. At the lower levels of classification, the distribution of flavonoids is of less interest. However, the patterns in Linociera and Chionanthus , two taxa recently made congeneric, are sufficiently different to suggest that this decision might have to be reconsidered when more is known of their chemistry. Otherwise leaf patterns generally fit in with the existing generic classification in the family.     

Isolation and antioxidant activity of galloyl flavonol glycosides from the seashore plant, Pemphis acidula

Four kinds of galloyl flavonol glycosides were found in the leaf extract of Pemphis acidula, a plant growing on the subtropical seashore. Their chemical structures were elucidated to be quercetin or kaempferol 6"-O-galloyl-beta-D-glycosides by using spectroscopic and chemical analyses. One of the flavonols, kaempferol-3-O-(6-O-galloyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside), was newly isolated from natural sources and its structure was completely determined in this investigation. The antioxidant-related activities of the galloyl flavonoids were examined by the DPPH antiradical activity, inhibition of methyl linoleate oxidation, and inhibition of oxidative cell death. These results were compared with those of the corresponding non-galloylated flavonol glycosides and their aglycones. The galloyl flavonoids showed more efficient activity than that of the corresponding flavonol glycosides, but not more than that of the corresponding aglycones in the three assays applied.     

La variation flavonique chez les sous-especes de l'Anthyllis vulneraria

Nine infraspecific taxa of Anthyllis vulneraria have been investigated for leaf flavonoids. The distribution of 35 flavonol glycosides within 26 populations, indicated the presence of four chemical taxa, each based on different glycosides of 7-methylkaempferol.     

Leaf flavonoids of Amborella trichopoda

The leaf flavonoids of Amborella trichopoda were examined and two kaempterol glycosides were detected. Procyanidin was also present. These results are similar to the flavonoid pattern in other families of the Laurales and it is suggested that simple flavonol glycosides are a primitive feature in the order.     

Internal and external leaf flavonoids of Pericome caudata

Pericome caudata accumulates four flavonol aglycones externally on leaf and stem surfaces. The glycosides present in the leaf tissue are based on eight further flavonols. This preponderance of tissue flavonoids over exudate flavonoids is unusual.     

Flavonol glycosides from flowers of Crocus speciosus and C. antalyensis.

From the flower extracts of Crocus speciosus and C. antalyensis nine flavonol glycosides have been isolated. One of these products is a new flavonol glycoside identified as kaempferol 3-O-alpha-(2,3-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)rhamnopyranoside by UV, mass and NMR spectroscopy.     

贵州传统发酵豆制品中水解银杏黄酮苷的微生物β-葡萄糖苷酶筛选

[目的]微生物β-葡萄糖苷酶法水解银杏黄酮苷具有重要意义,不过目前这方面的研究极少。因此,本文目的是筛选到水解银杏黄酮苷的酶活高的微生物β-葡萄糖苷酶,并分析其底物选择性机制。[方法]以银杏叶提取物作为唯一碳源富集培养,从贵州传统发酵豆豉中筛选产对银杏黄酮苷水解酶活高的β-葡萄糖苷酶的菌株,并对该菌株进行鉴定。然后比较此β-葡萄糖苷酶对不同底物的选择性,同时测定此酶水解银杏黄酮苷反应的米氏常数Km及最大反应速率Vmax。最后,对不同的底物进行分子对接,分析其底物特异性机制。[结果]结果表明,筛选到的菌株GUXN01所产β-葡萄糖苷酶水解银杏黄酮苷的酶活最高,被鉴定为枯草芽孢杆菌。此β-葡糖糖苷酶对β构型的糖类以及苷类等具有广泛的底物特异性和不同的选择性,尤其对银杏黄酮苷具有很好的亲和性。分子对接研究表明枯草芽孢杆菌β-葡萄糖苷酶对银杏黄酮苷和其他糖苷类具有不同亲和性和选择性的原因主要是酶结构和底物分子结构的相互作用力的差异导致的。[结论]这些发现为GUXN01所产的β-葡萄糖苷酶应用于水解银杏黄酮苷类生产相应苷元奠定了良好的基础。     

La systématique infraspécifiquede l'Anthyllis vulneraria (Leguminosae) vue à la lumière de la biochimie flavonique

Twenty-six experimental populations of A. vulneraria were surveyed for leaf flavonoids. The distribution of 34 flavonol glycosides showed, after factor analysis, the existence of for distinct chemical taxa, each exhibiting characteristic glycosides of 7-methylkaempferol. These results, and others obtained from further factor analysis, are discussed in relation to Couderc's taxonomic studies, and allow a better definition of infraspecific units of A. vulneraria. Flavonoid and morphological data are generally correlated.     

Structurally different flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives respond differently to moderate UV-B radiation exposure

The aim of this study was to investigate the modifying influence of moderate ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation exposure on structurally different flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives during pre-harvest using kale, a leafy Brassica species with a wide spectrum of different non-acylated and acylated flavonol glycosides. Juvenile kale plants were treated with short-term (1 day), moderate UV-B radiation [0.22-0.88 kJ m?2 day?1 biologically effective UV-B (UV-B(BE))]. Twenty compounds were quantified, revealing a structure-specific response of flavonol glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives to UV-B radiation. A dose- and structure-dependent response of the investigated phenolic compounds to additional UV-B radiation was found. The investigated quercetin glycosides decreased under UV-B; for kaempferol glycosides, however, the amount of sugar moieties and the flavonol glycoside hydoxycinnamic acid residue influenced the response to UV-B. Monoacylated kaempferol tetraglucosides decreased in the investigated UV-B range, whereas the monoacylated kaempferol diglucosides increased strongly with doses of 0.88 kJ m?2 day?1 UV-B(BE) . The UV-B-induced increase in monoacylated kaempferol triglucosides was dependent on the acylation pattern. Furthermore, the hydroxycinnamic acid glycosides disinapoyl-gentiobiose and sinapoyl-feruloyl-gentiobiose were enhanced in a dose-dependent manner under UV-B. While UV-B radiation treatments often focus on flavonol aglycones or total flavonols, our investigations were extended to structurally different non-acylated and acylated glycosides of quercetin and kaempferol.     

Flavonol glycoside production in callus cultures of Epimedium diphyllum.

Callus cultures of Epimedium diphyllum produced a large amount of epimedoside A in addition to a small amount of diphylloside B, ikarisoside C, epimedoside E, diglycosides of des-O-methylanhydroicaritin (8-gamma, gamma-dimethylallylkaempfero). Icariin, epimedins A-C, which are glycosides of anhydroicaritin, were also produced in the callus cultures. Contents of the flavonol glycosides in callus tissue were higher than those of mother plants, but the composition of each flavonol glycoside mixture in the callus cultures was different from that of the original plants. The time-course experiments showed that an inverse relationship existed between cell growth and flavonol glycoside production. Effects of hormonal factors on cell growth and flavonol glycoside production indicated that 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid was needed for the production of flavonol glycosides.     

The role of lipophilic and polar flavonoids in the classification of temperate members of the Anthemideae

Lipophilic and vacuolar flavonoids were separately identified in representative temperate species of the genera Anthemis, Chrysanthemum, Cotula, Ismelia, Leucanthemum and Tripleurospermum. The four Anthemis species investigated variously produced four main surface constituents, in leaf and flower: santin, quercetagetin 3,6,3′-trimethyl ether, scutellarein 6,4′-dimethyl ether and 6-hydroxyluteolin 6,3′-dimethyl ether. By contrast, surface extracts of disc and ray florets of the species of Chrysanthemum, Cotula, Ismelia, Leucanthemum and Tripleurospermum surveyed yielded five common flavones in the free state: apigenin, luteolin, acacetin, apigenin 7-methyl ether and chrysoeriol. Polar flavonoids were isolated and identified in leaf, ray floret and disc floret of all the above plants. Anthemis species were distinctive in having flavonol glycosides in the leaves, whereas the leaf flavonoids of the other taxa were generally flavone O-glycosides. The 3-glucoside and 3-rutinoside of patuletin were characterised for the first time from Anthemis tinctoria ssp. subtinctoria. Two new flavonol glycosides, the 5-glucuronides of quercetin and kaempferol, were obtained from the leaf of Leucanthemum vulgare, where they co-occur with the related 5-glucosides and with several flavone glycosides. The ray florets of these Anthemideae generally contain apigenin and/or luteolin 7-glucoside and 7-glucuronide, whereas disc florets have additional flavonol glycosides, notably the 7-glucosides of quercetin and patuletin and the 7-glucuronide of quercetin. A comparison of the flavonoid pattern encountered here with those previously recorded for Tanacetum indicate some chemical affinity between Anthemis and Tanacetum. Flavonoid patterns of the other five genera are more distinct from those of Tanacetum and suggest that those genera form a related group. All 14 species surveyed for their flavonoid profiles have distinctive constituents and the chemical data are in harmony with modern taxonomic treatments of the “Chrysanthemum complex” as a series of separate genera.     

莲属植物类黄酮代谢产物的研究进展

莲属(Nelumbo)植物既可药用也可食用, 其中荷叶、藕节、莲子、莲子心、莲房和莲须等皆可入药, 但药效各不相同。迄今为止, 从莲的各组织中共检测出类黄酮多达61个, 包括8个花青素苷、2个黄酮醇、29个黄酮醇苷、1个黄酮、16个黄酮苷(内含13个碳苷黄酮)和5个黄烷醇。该文对莲各组织中所含类黄酮的检测方法、组成、含量及药理等方面的研究进展进行了综述。迄今的研究结果表明, 莲中含有丰富的类黄酮化合物, 且具广泛的药理活性(如抗氧化、抗菌、抗HIV、抗动脉粥样化、提高免疫力和减肥降脂等)。这些资料不仅对今后深入研究莲各部位的类黄酮代谢物及其与药效的关系有重要意义, 而且对保健食品和中药的研发也具有重要的参考价值。     

Flavonoids of Mayaca fluviatilis (Mayacaceae)

Mayaca is an aquatic monocot of the monogeneric family Mayacaceae. The flavonol glycosides quercetin 3-O-glucoside, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, and kaempferol 3-O-glucoside, and the flavone luteolin 5-O-glucoside were found in methanolic leaf extracts. The presence of flavonol and flavone O-glycosides sets the Mayacaceae apart from the Commelinaceae, which accumulates predominantly flavone C-glycosides.     

New anti-malarial flavonol glycoside from Hydrangeae Dulcis Folium.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract of Hydrangeae Dulcis Folium resulted in isolation of a new flavonol glycoside and two known congeners as anti-malarial principles. These flavonol glycosides showed characteristic proliferation inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum at significantly low concentration without showing any cytotoxicity. In addition, several naturally occurring flavonol glycosides were also shown to exert similar anti-malarial behavior.     

Change of supercooling capability in solutions containing different kinds of ice nucleators by flavonol glycosides from deep supercooling xylem parenchyma cells in trees

Deep supercooling xylem parenchyma cells (XPCs) in Katsura tree contain flavonol glycosides with high supercooling-facilitating capability in solutions containing the ice nucleation bacterium (INB) Erwinia ananas, which is thought to have an important role in deep supercooling of XPCs. The present study, in order to further clarify the roles of these flavonol glycosides in deep supercooling of XPCs, the effects of these supercooling-facilitating (anti-ice nucleating) flavonol glycosides, kaempferol 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (K3Glc), kaempferol 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (K7Glc) and quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (Q3Glc), in buffered Milli-Q water (BMQW) containing different kinds of ice nucleators, including INB Xanthomonas campestris, silver iodide and phloroglucinol, were examined by a droplet freezing assay. The results showed that all of the flavonol glycosides promoted supercooling in all solutions containing different kinds of ice nucleators, although the magnitudes of supercooling capability of each flavonol glycoside changed in solutions containing different kinds of ice nucleators. On the other hand, these flavonol glycosides exhibited complicated nucleating reactions in BMQW, which did not contain identified ice nucleators but contained only unidentified airborne impurities. Q3Glc exhibited both supercooling-facilitating and ice nucleating capabilities depending on the concentrations in such water. Both K3Glc and K7Glc exhibited only ice nucleation capability in such water. It was also shown by an emulsion freezing assay in BMQW that K3Glc and Q3Glc had no effect on homogeneous ice nucleation temperature, whereas K7Glc increased ice nucleation temperature. The results indicated that each flavonol glycoside affected ice nucleation by very complicated and varied reactions. More studies are necessary to determine the exact roles of these flavonol glycosides in deep supercooling of XPCs in which unidentified heterogeneous ice nucleators may exist.     

An efficient molecular docking method for adsorbent screening

In this study, with flavonol glycosides (FG) and terpene lactones (TL) in ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) as the targets for separation, we investigated the effectiveness of molecular docking in adsorbent screening. Several polyamine-modified methyl acylate-co-divinylbenzene (MA-co-DVB) adsorbent models were built, and their affinity to rutin, quercetin and ginkgolide B (GB) was evaluated via molecular docking. The model of ethylenediamine-modified adsorbent showed the largest difference in affinity between to GB and to quercetin as well as rutin, and thus this adsorbent could have the best separation performance. The results of the subsequently conducted static adsorption and dynamic adsorption experiments correlated well with docking results. Finally, using ethylenediamine-modified MA-co-DVB adsorbent, nearly complete separation of the FG and TL in GBE was simply achieved by one step of adsorption-desorption. Thus, the reported molecular docking method is expected to be helpful for rapid adsorbent screening.     

Analysis of supercooling-facilitating (anti-ice nucleation) activity of flavonol glycosides

Deep supercooling xylem parenchyma cells (XPCs) of katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) contain four kinds of flavonol glycosides with high supercooling-facilitating (anti-ice nucleation) activities. These flavonol glycosides have very similar structures, but their supercooling-facilitating activities are very different. In this study, we analyzed the supercooling-facilitating activities of 12 kinds of flavonol glycosides in order to determine the chemical structures that might affect supercooling-facilitating activity. All of the flavonol glycosides tested showed supercooling-facilitating activity, although the magnitudes of activity differed among the compounds. It was clear that the combination of the position of attachment of the glycosyl moiety, the kind of attached glycosyl moiety and the structure of aglycone determined the magnitude of anti-ice nucleation activity. However, there is still some ambiguity preventing the exact identification of features that affect the magnitude of supercooling-facilitating activity.     

Flavonol glycosides of Carya pecan

The flavonol glycosides characterized from the branches of Carya pecan include three new compounds, azaleatin 3-glucoside azaleatin 3-diglycoside and caryatin 3′- (or 4′-) rhamnoglucoside. together with azaleatin 3-rhamnoside. In the leaf tissue, quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-galactoside, quercetin 3-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-arabinoside and a small amount of kaempferol 3-monomethyl ether were identified.