An investigation of the HPLC analytical conditions for simple isoflavones, prenylated isoflavones and some of their glucosyl derivatives resulted in reasonable separation and total elution in 35 min when using a reversed-phase C18 Lichrospher column and a gradient elution system of MeCN-THF-H2O. This method was successfully applied to quantify the changes in isoflavonoid constituents in white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) tissues: (a) young legumes (pods and seeds) during maturation, and (b) soaked, germinating seeds. In developing legumes, genistein and 2'-hydroxygenistein, as well as their prenylated derivatives, were present in the pods as the major components, together with minor amounts of glucosides, whereas only minute amounts of isoflavonoids were detectable in the ripening seeds. When soaked with water, mature lupin seeds which normally contain trace amounts of isoflavonoids, started rapidly to biosynthesize simple isoflavones and accumulate large amounts of genistein 7-O-glucoside and its 6"-O-malonyl derivative. These dynamic changes are discussed in relation to the role of isoflavonoids in the lupin defense system.
Leguminosae, Lupinus albus, HPLC analysis, isoflavonoid, prenylisoflavones
NCBI PubMed ID: 10923779Publication DOI: 10.1271/bbb.64.1118Journal NLM ID: 9205717Publisher: Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry
Correspondence: tahara@abs.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
Institutions: Department of Applied Bioscience, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan, Plant Biochemistry Laboratory, Biology Department, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, CREST, Japan Science and Technology Corporation, Kawaguchi, Japan
Methods: HPLC, extraction, evaporation
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