Further characterization of foliar flavonoids in Crossostephium chinense and their geographic variation

Foliar flavonoids of Crossostephium chinense in Japan and Taiwan were isolated and further characterized. Eighteen flavonoid aglycones, luteolin, apigenin, hispidulin, chrysoeriol, 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-6,3′,5′- trimethoxyflavone, jaceosidin, cilsimaritin, quercetin 3-methyl ether, axillarin, chrysosplenol-D, cirsiliol, apometzgerin, 5,7,3′-trihydroxy-6, 4′,5′-trimethoxyflavone, luteolin 3′,4′-dimethyl ether, cirsilineol, eupatilin, nepetin and 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxy-6, 5′-dimethoxyflavone, were identified by UV, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopic, LC-MS and HPLC comparisons with authentic samples. The compounds existed on the leaf surface. Four flavonoid glycosides, quercetin 3,7-di-O-glucoside, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, luteolin 7-O-glucoside and apigenin 7-O-rutinoside, were also isolated as the intracellular flavonoids. It was shown by HPLC survey that variation of the species' flavonoids occurs among the collection sites.