FLAVONOIDS IN THE SPECIES OF THE FAMILY ARACEAE: A REVIEW

Abstract

Flavonoids is one of the secondary metabolites and consists of two phenyl rings (A- and B-rings) connected by a three carbon bridge. Over 8000 kinds of flavonoids were reported from vascular plants and Bryophytes. This paper reviewed the flavonoid characters of the Araceae s.l. (including the Lemnaceae). Major flavonoids of the family were C-glycosylflavones with the exception for subfamilies Gymnostachydoideae and Orontioideae. Other flavonoid classes, i.e. anthocyanins, flavones, flavonols, flavan and proanthocyanidins, were reported in all subfamilies. Flavanone and C-glycosylflavanone were isolated from Spirodela polyrhiza and Anthurium binotii, respectively. However, dihydroflavonol, chalcone, dihydrochalcone, aurone, and isoflavonoids were not reported in the Araceae. Although Araceae s.l. is a large family consisting of ca. 3645 species and ca. 144 genera, flavonoids were surveyed only in 146 species of 48 genera, as far as known.