Relationship between the Composition of Flavonoids and Flower Colors Variation in Tropical Water Lily (Nymphaea) Cultivars

Water lily, the member of the Nymphaeaceae family, is the symbol of Buddhism and Brahmanism in India. Despite its limited researches on flower color variations and formation mechanism, water lily has background of blue flowers and displays an exceptionally wide diversity of flower colors from purple, red, blue to yellow, in nature. In this study, 34 flavonoids were identified among 35 tropical cultivars by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array detection (DAD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Among them, four anthocyanins: delphinidin 3-O-rhamnosyl-5-O-galactoside (Dp3Rh5Ga), delphinidin 3-O-(2″-O-galloyl-6″-O-oxalyl-rhamnoside) (Dp3galloyl-oxalylRh), delphinidin 3-O-(6″-O-acetyl-β-glucopyranoside) (Dp3acetylG) and cyanidin 3- O-(2″-O-galloyl-galactopyranoside)-5-O-rhamnoside (Cy3galloylGa5Rh), one chalcone: chalcononaringenin 2′-O-galactoside (Chal2′Ga) and twelve flavonols: myricetin 7-O-rhamnosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (My7RhRh), quercetin 7-O-galactosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (Qu7GaRh), quercetin 7-O-galactoside (Qu7Ga), kaempferol 7-O-galactosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (Km7GaRh), myricetin 3-O-galactoside (My3Ga), kaempferol 7-O-galloylgalactosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (Km7galloylGaRh), myricetin 3-O-galloylrhamnoside (My3galloylRh), kaempferol 3-O-galactoside (Km3Ga), isorhamnetin 7-O-galactoside (Is7Ga), isorhamnetin 7-O-xyloside (Is7Xy), kaempferol 3-O-(3″-acetylrhamnoside) (Km3-3″acetylRh) and quercetin 3-O-acetylgalactoside (Qu3acetylGa) were identified in the petals of tropic water lily for the first time. Meanwhile a multivariate analysis was used to explore the relationship between pigments and flower color. By comparing, the cultivars which were detected delphinidin 3-galactoside (Dp3Ga) presented amaranth, and detected delphinidin 3′-galactoside (Dp3′Ga) presented blue. However, the derivatives of delphinidin and cyanidin were more complicated in red group. No anthocyanins were detected within white and yellow group. At the same time a possible flavonoid biosynthesis pathway of tropical water lily was presumed putatively. These studies will help to elucidate the evolution mechanism on the formation of flower colors and provide theoretical basis for outcross breeding and developing health care products from this plant

Bioactive constituents from bergia suffruticosa

In vitro antibacterial investigation of the various extracts of Bergia suffruticosa leaf belonging to the family Elatinaceae: a plant used in Sudanese folk medicine to treat skin wounds [1] was evaluated against 72 strains of standard and clinical isolates of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Six known compounds were isolated from methanolic extract, which was the most active fraction. The isolated compounds were Gallic acid methyl ester; Daucosterol; 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galloyl -β-glucose; 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-β-glucose; Kaemferol-3-O-rhamnoside and Quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside. Their identification were based on their spectroscopic data (UV, IR, 1H & 13CNMR and MS). Gallic acid methyl ester was found to have MIC 25µg/ml against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, whereas 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galloyl -β-glucose and 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-β-glucose were found to be 50µg/ml against S. aureus and 100µg/ml against E. coli, the results suggested that the antibacterial effect of these two compounds is due to the presence of galloyl group. The MIC of other three compounds displayed no antibacterial activity against both organisms at 200µg/ml. Ampicillin and Gentamicin were used as reference antibacterial activity. In an early study, conducted the antibacterial activity of B. suffruticosa whole plant reported that, its methanolic extract showed significant inhibition of the four tested micro-organisms [2]. There is no phytochemical report encountered on the plant species undertaken in this study. This result justifies the traditional therapeutic use of the plant

Two very unusual macrocyclic flavonoids from the water lily nymphaea lotus

Three novel flavonols, myricetin-3′-O-(6″-p-coumaroyl)glucoside and two epimeric macrocyclic derivatives, as well as the known myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside and pentagalloyl glucose, have been isolated from the wild water lily Nymphaea lotus L. and identified using 2D NMR. This is the first report of such a macrocycle from any source

Effects of additives on the dyeing of cotton yarn with the aqueous extract of Combretum latifolium Blume stems

Flavonoid constituents from the aqueous extract of the stems of Combretum latifolium Blume sourced in Thailand have potential use as dyestuffs for cotton dyeing. In an effort to improve current natural dyeing methods with this extract, further aspects of the process were studied. It was found that, before equilibrium was reached, an increase in temperature led to an increase in dye adsorption rate of the extract; the initial rate and extent of dye adsorption was further increased by the addition of sodium chloride to the dyebath. In addition, cotton yarn pretreated with a chitosan solution (with and without a crosslinking glyoxal solution), followed by dyeing with C. latifolium extract, provided better depth of shade and also gave better fastness to light and washing than the untreated cotton yarn. Post-mordanting cotton yarn with a biomordant solution from Memecylon scutellatum leaves also gave good light and wash fastness of the resulting dyed cotton, comparable with the dyeing results with the less environmentally friendly alum as a mordant

Essential oil composition of <i>Geigeria alata</i> (DC.) Oliv. et Hiern. from Sudan

The essential oil composition of aerial parts of Geigeria alata from Sudan was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Forty-nine compounds were identified representing 86.7% of the oil. The most abundant compounds were &#x03B1;-longipinene (8.8%), &#x03B2;-caryophyllene (7.4%), &#x03B1;-oxobisabolene (7.3%), and caryophyllene oxide (7.2%)