Anthocyanins in Caprifoliaceae

The qualitative and relative quantitative anthocyanin content of 19 species belonging to the genera Sambucus, Lonicera and Viburnum in the family Caprifoliaceae has been determined. Altogether 12 anthocyanins were identified; the 3-O-glucoside (2), 3-O-galactoside (5), 3-O-(6″-O-arabinosylglucoside) (7), 3-O-(6″-O-rhamnosylglucoside) (9), 3-O-(2″-O-xylosyl-6″-O-rhamnosylglucoside) (10), 3-O-(2″-O-xylosylgalactoside) (11), 3-O-(2″-O-xylosylglucoside) (12), 3-O-(2″-O-xylosylglucoside)-5-O-glucoside (14), 3-O-(2″-O-xylosyl-6″-O-Z-p-coumaroylglucoside)-5-O-glucoside (15) and 3-O-(2″-O-xylosyl-6″-O-E-p-coumaroylglucoside)-5-O-glucoside (16) of cyanidin, in addition to the 3-O-glucosides of pelargonidin and delphinidin (1 and 3). Pigment 7 is the first complete identification of the disaccharide vicianose, 6″-O-α-arabinopyranosyl-β-glucopyranose, linked to an anthocyanidin.Despite differences in colour from orange to black, the berries in the genus Sambucus are characterized by pigments 14–16, or by other cyanidin derivatives containing xylose. Simple anthocyanin 3-monoglucosides (mainly 2) dominate in berries of Lonicera species, while the examined species of Viburnum contained one or more cyanidin 3-glycoside, however, with differences in their anthocyanin pattern.