L. Schwingel, Geraldo O. Schwingel, N. Storch
Apr 1, 2014
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0
Influential Citations
18
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Journal
Industrial Crops and Products
Abstract
Abstract The 3- O -methylquercetin (3-MQ) is a flavonoid aglycone with important antioxidant, antiviral, and anticancer properties. The presence of 3-MQ in Nicotiana tabacum L. trichomes is well known as the species’ response to environmental stress factors. Although 3-MQ has been synthesized, its yield has been low and toxic by-products are formed that are difficult to separate. The present work reports the use of a simple method for extracting and isolating 3-MQ from organic N. tabacum trichomes to make it available in higher amounts and greater purity for biological tests or pharmaceutical applications. The influence of some parameters related to plant variety, cultivation, extraction, and isolation on the yield of this flavonoid is herein reported. The highest 3-MQ yield was obtained using ethanol in the extraction with a plant:solvent ratio of 1:15 (w/v) and 30-min extraction time. Isolating 3-MQ from the ethanol extract was successfully performed from the corresponding dry residue by normal phase column chromatography (CC). The younger leaves of the Dark variety, cultivated in vase and collected at night, showed the highest 3-MQ yield. Thus, the Dark variety, ethanol extraction in a plant:solvent ratio of 1:15 (w/v) for 30 min, followed by CC isolation, were the best conditions for obtaining 3-MQ with over 90% purity and 60% yield. These excellent results may be useful as an alternative, promising use of tobacco.