Profiling Glucosinolates, Flavonoids, Alkaloids, and Other Secondary Metabolites in Tissues of Azima tetracantha L. (Salvadoraceae)

Abstract

Azima tetracantha L. (needle bush; bee sting bush; Salvadoraceae) is used as a food and for various herbal medicines in Africa, India, and Madagascar, but there is very little information on the secondary metabolites in this species. High concentrations of N-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl-glucosinolate, a common glucosinolate of Brassica crops such as Brussels sprouts and broccoli, were found in the roots and seeds of A. tetracantha. Lower concentrations were detected in the stems and young leaves. The roots also contained another indole glucosinolate that was provisionally identified, from MS data and comparison with indole glucosinolate standards, as N-hydroxy-3-indolymethyl-glucosinolate. The roots, stems, and leaves contained neoascorbigen (the condensation product of N-methoxy-indole-3-carbinol and ascorbic acid). The seeds of A. tetracantha contained a complex mixture of 26 flavonoids predominantly as glycosides and acyl-glycosides, with traces of aglycones. The core aglycones of these flavonoids were identified as quercetin, isorhamnetin (3'-O-methylquercetin), rhamnetin (7-O-methylquercetin), and rhamnazin (7, 3'-di-O-methylquercetin). No flavonoids or anthocyanins were detected in other tissues, and procyanidins were undetectable. The dimeric piperidine alkaloids azimine, azcarpine, and carpaine were found in all tissues of A. tetracantha.

The Phytochemical and In Vitro Pharmacological Testing of Maltese Medicinal Plants

“…Almost all plant species exhibited the presence of flavonoids in one or more extracts, except for four plants, namely, Antirrhinum siculum, Diplotaxis erucoides, Malva sylvestris and Verbena officinalis. Other studies report the presence of flavonoids in Diplotaxis erucoides (Bennett et al, 2006), Malva sylvestris (Billeter et al, 1991) and Verbena officinalis (Rehecho et al, 2011).…”

Phytochemical Screening, Antiglycation and Antioxidant Activities of Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Azima Tetracantha Lam.

“…[9] The leaves are found to have carpine, azcarpine, azimineand isorhamnitine-3-O-rutinoside etc. [10] β-sitosterol, lupeol, glutinol and friedelin were isolated from the petroleum ether extract of the leaves of A. tetracantha. [11] The seeds of this plant have been found to have novel fatty acids along with other fatty acids.…”

High glucosinolate broccoli: a delivery system for sulforaphane

“…A 1.5 ml sample was centrifuged (17,000g, 4°C, 20 min) followed by filtration of the supernatant (0.2lm PTFE aqueous filter; Chromos Express, Macclesfield, UK) into HPLC vials. The samples were analyzed by LC-UV in combination with full scan positive ion mode electro-spray mass spectrometry using an Agilent HP1100 system (binary pump, thermostaticallycontrolled auto-sampler and column oven set at 10°C and 30°C respectively, and a photodiode array detector set to collect data from 200-600 nm overall and a specific wavelength of 234 nm) coupled to an Agilent SL MSD; solvents and gradient as detailed in the multi-purpose phytochemical method as described previously (Bennett et al 2004) Development of inbred lines and GSLenriched novel hybrids…”