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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » Natural Products Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #295440
Title: Hydroxylated bisabolol oxides: evidence for secondary oxidative metabolism in Matricaria chamomilla

Author
item AVONTO, CRISTIAN - University Of Mississippi
item WANG, MEI - University Of Mississippi
item CHITTIBOYINA, AMAR - University Of Mississippi
item AVULA, BHARATHI - University Of Mississippi
item ZHAO, JIANPING - University Of Mississippi
item KHAN, IKHLAS - University Of Mississippi

Submitted to: Journal of Natural Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2013
Publication Date: 9/26/2013
Citation: Avonto, C., Wang, M., Chittiboyina, A.G., Avula, B., Zhao, J., Khan, I.A. 2013. Hydroxylated bisabolol oxides: evidence for secondary oxidative metabolism in Matricaria chamomilla. Journal of Natural Products. 76:1848-1853.

Interpretive Summary: The presented GC-assisted fractionation approach successfully enabled us in the identification of bisabolol oxide derivatives never isolated previously. These compounds were found to be biosynthetically related and could be useful for the further studies about chamomile biosynthetic pathways. In addition to identification of novel compounds, this rationale might serve as an easy and robust tool for rapid identification of minor compounds from dietary supplements originated from German chamomile.

Technical Abstract: German chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) is one of the most popular medicinal plants used in Western medicine. Among the various phytochemicals present in essential oils of German chamomile, bisabolol and its oxidative metabolites are considered as marker compounds for distinguishing different chemotypes. These compounds play a significant role in the biosynthesis of various terpenoids. They are also influential in the aroma of essential oils and the therapeutic properties (anti-inflammatory,antibacterial, insecticidal and antiulcer) of chamomile as well. In order to find other possible bisabolol derivatives as marker compounds for authentication of German chamomile in botanical and commercial products, an in-depth investigation using a GC-assisted fractionation was performed on apolar fractions. As a result of this approach, for the first time, three new hydroxyl derivative of bisabolol oxides A and B)and one known seco-bisabolol compound have been isolated from M. recutita. Plausible biosynthetic pathways are also presented.