Anthocyanin and Potential Therapeutic Traits in Clitoria, Desmodium, Corchorus, Catharanthus and Hibiscus Species

Abstract

The USDA, ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit curates several important nutraceutical and medicinal plant species. Anthocyanins are responsible for flower, leaf and seed coat color in plants, and are antioxidants as well. However, little is known about anthocyanin content in C/ito na tern atea, Desniodium adscendens, Corchorus olitorius, Catharanthus roseus, Hibiscus sabdariffa and Acer saccharum. This study was conducted to identify anthocyanin indexes and additional health enhancing components in these species. An anthocyanin meter with an LED diode of 520 nm was used to measure the anthocyanin index of leaves and flowers from plants growing in the field during July, September and October 2006. We found anthocyanin indexes ranging from 4.1 to 52.4 for leaves and 0.8 to 26.8 for flowers in all five species. The highest leaf anthocyanin index average of 14.6 was found in D . adscendens (P1 316623) followed by sugar maple (A. saccharum) with a leaf anthocyanin average index of 13.0. Catharanthus roseus (P1 608581) also had the highest flower anthocyanin index average of 17.3. These data were recorded at or prior to 50% maturity. In addition, potential health uses for these species are discussed. Phytochemicals identified include but are not limited to an antimicrobial protein from C. ternatea, anthocyanin rich extracts from H. sabdaniffa for potential use as a chemopreventive agent, and antitumor promoters in C. olitorius leaves. These anthocyanins and phytochemicals have potential value in the nutraceutical and medical industries. These variable anthocyanin indexes among these species will assist breeders and other scientists with valuable germplasm for development of anthocyanin enriched cultivars.

Protective Role of Ternatin Anthocyanins and Quercetin Glycosides from Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea Leguminosae) Blue Flower Petals against Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-Induced Inflammation in Macrophage Cells

“…Accordingly, quercetin glycosides and ternatin anthocyanins from the blue flower petals of C. ternatea may be useful in the development of drugs or nutraceuticals protecting against chronic inflammatory diseases by suppressing the excessive production of proinflammatory mediators from macrophage cells. Additional, work is needed to confirm these results in in vivo studies as well as to evaluate different butterfly pea accessions that may contain different levels of anthocyanins and other flavonoids as reported in the works of Morris and Wang (2007) and Morris (2009). 35 …”

“…Additional, work is needed to confirm these results in in vivo studies as well as to evaluate different butterfly pea accessions that may contain different levels of anthocyanins and other flavonoids as reported in the works of Morris and Wang (2007) and Morris (2009). 35 …”

Characterization of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) accessions for morphology, phenology, reproduction and potential nutraceutical, pharmaceutical trait utilization

“…Butterfly pea flowers are edible for humans and are used in the cuisine at the Ritz Carlton, South Beach, Florida where the fitness-minded Chef utilizes the flowers in salads (edible flowers). White and dark blue flowers produced anthocyanin indexes ranging from 1.0 to 26.8, respectively while the flavonoid kaempferol content in butterfly pea flowers was 658.6 ng/ll (Morris and Wang 2007). Other flavonoids are found in butterfly pea leaves including nicotiflorin (ILDIS 1994).…”

In Silico Screening of Antimalarial From Indonesian Medicinal Plants Database to Plasmepsin Target

“…Anthocyanin is known to have antimalarial properties. It is also contained in Corchorus olitorius and is known to inhibit the malaria parasite P. falciparum more than 96% [32].…”