Flavonoid and certain related phenolic compounds in parts of the tobacco flower

Abstract

Identification and distribution studies have been made of flavonoid and related phenolic compounds present in four kinds of floral appendages of tobacco. Stamens contained rutin, scopolin, esculetin, chlorogenic acid, glucose derivatives of p-coumaric and ferulic acids, and an unknown glucoside of kaempferol. The last three were found only in stamens. Corollas (petals) contained scopolin, esculetin, chlorogenic acid, rutin, nictoflorin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, rutin-7-glucoside, and nictoflorin-7-glucoside. The last five compounds named were found only in the petals. The last three have not been reported previously to be present in tobacco tissue. The calyxes or sepals contained esculetin, chlorogenic acid, scopolin, rutin, a quercetin-3-diglucoside, quercetin-3,3′-dimethyl ether, and quercetin-3-methyl ether. The last three were present only in the calyxes. The pistils contained esculetin and chlorogenic acid, but none of the above flavonol glycosides or methyl ether derivatives.