Fluorescent pigments: New perspectives in betalain research and applications

We report here not only the fluorescent properties of the betaxanthins but also a new method for determining the pigment content in complex samples by HPLC using a fluorescence detector for the first time. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of the betaxanthins present in Mirabilis jalapa (Nyctaginaceae) flowers. Our findings concerning fluorescence may open up new possibilities for the detection of betaxanthins, improve existent HPLC protocols and represent a new field for biochemical investigations.