Anthraquinones are phytochemicals produced by fungi, lichens and plants. Extracts containing anthraquinones (and their glycosides) have been used for centuries as laxatives and also have antifungal and antiviral activities. Several angiosperm families contain anthraquinones, notable to our research is the Rhamnaceae family. The native R. alnifolia and the invasive R. cathartica were recently located cohabitating in an area of the Bergen Swamp Preserve in Bergen, NY, USA. While little detail is known in regard to the anthraquinone content of R. alnifolia, R. cathartica is well-studied and known to have an abundance of emodin in the bark, roots, leaves, flowers, and drupes. We monitored anthraquinone content of both species over the 2019 growing season via monthly leaf collections and analyses using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD). Identification and quantification were performed against a series of “classic” anthraquinone standards: emodin, aloe emodin, rheinic acid, chrysophanic acid, and physcion. Our results indicate the presence of emodin in the leaf tissue of both species, with some collection sites containing aloe emodin and chrysophanic acid. The concentrations of the anthraquinones varied significantly over the sampling period. This study represents the first detailed analyses of anthraquinones in R. alnifolia and attempts to elucidate the temporal variation in these secondary compounds. We explore differences between anthraquinone production in an invasive versus a native species of the Rhamnus genus and attempt to explain our observations from both biotic and abiotic perspectives.

Temporal characteristics of five anthraquinones from Rhamnus alnifolia (Rhamnaceae) using ultrasonic extraction and HPLC-DAD

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.