Abstract
A chalcone glycoside was isolated from the flowers of six Corylopsis species, C. pauciflora, C. spicata, C. glabrescens, C. sinensis, C. gotoana, and C. coreana, and identified as chalcononaringenin 2'-O-glucoside by UV spectral survey, liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), acid hydrolysis, and characterization of its products, and direct thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) comparison with an authentic sample. Five flavonol glycosides, which were accompanied with chalcone glycoside, were also isolated and identified as quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside, myricetin 3-O-glucoside, and kaempferol 3-O-rhamnoside in the same manner. Chalcone glycosides have been reported from various plant species, Dianthus, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Dahlia, and Bidens as yellow flower pigments. In this survey, it was shown for the first time that the yellow flower color of Corylopsis species is due to a chalcone glycoside, chalcononaringenin 2'-O-glucoside, but other flavonol glycosides hardly act as yellow pigments.
