A New Homoisoflavonoid from Caesalpinia bahamensis

Abstract

Homoisoflavonoids constitute a rare subclass of flavonoids restricted to only some plant species, including members of the genus Caesalpinia. This research focused on homoisoflavonoids from Caesalpinia bahamensis Lam., Fabaceae, a medicinal plant used in Cuban traditional medicine and known as "brasilete." An hydroalcoholic extract was prepared from the stem, followed by liquid-liquid partition and further chromatographic separations, resulting in the isolation and structure elucidation by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry of an undescribed 3-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl)chromane-4,7-diol, for which the name metasappanin was proposed.