Phenolics from Rhagadiolus stellatus (Asteraceae, Cichorieae)

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Plant Science
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Rhagadiolus stellatus (Gaertn.) is a Mediterranean plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, utilized as a food source.
• Phenolic compounds are crucial secondary metabolites with diverse biological activities and chemosystematic significance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the phenolic compound profile of Rhagadiolus stellatus.
• To investigate the chemosystematic implications of these compounds within the Cichorieae tribe.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of phenolic compounds using Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography from a methanolic extract.
• Structure elucidation employing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Mass Spectrometry (MS) data.
• Detection of additional compounds via High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection (HPLC/DAD) and HPLC/MS.

Main Results:

• Four phenolic compounds were isolated: kaempferol 3-O-β-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-β-rutinoside (nicotiflorin), quercetin 3-O-β-glucoside, and luteolin.
• Chlorogenic acid and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid were also detected in the plant extract.
• The identified compounds contribute to understanding the chemical diversity of Rhagadiolus stellatus.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully characterized the phenolic constituents of Rhagadiolus stellatus.
• The findings provide valuable data for chemosystematic comparisons within the Cichorieae tribe.
• This research enhances the phytochemical knowledge of a traditionally used Mediterranean food plant.