BIOFLAVONOID PROFILE OF EXOTIC CITRUS SPECIES

The levels of the flavanones naringin, hesperidin, narirutin, eriocitrin, neohesperidin and neoeriocitrin, and the flavone diosmin were evaluated in fruits of several exotic citrus (citron, pummelo, sour orange, papeda, mandarin and lemon). The highest total flavonoid content was detected in sour oranges and mandarins, while low to non-detectable levels were found in pummelo, papeda, citron, and lemon cultivars.
Average total bioflavonoid values on a dry weight basis were between 4-5 % in both sour oranges and mandarins.
Individual flavonoids varied among species.
Naringin, neohesperidin, and neoeriocitrin were found in some sour orange cultivars.
Hesperidin was the only flavonoid detected in mandarin.
Pummelos showed a diverse flavonoid profile.
Some pummelo varieties had up to 6 different flavonoids (narirutin, naringin, hesperidin, eriocitrin, neohesperidin, neoeriocitrin). Citrus flavonoids have a wide variety of clinical applications.
This information should prove useful to the nutraceutical industry in identifying alternative sources of flavonoids.

XXVI International Horticultural Congress: The Future for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

M.B. Omary, R.R. Krueger, Y. Li, P. David, E.A. Brovelli, H.F. Florez

Citron, eriocitrin, diosmin, flavanones, flavones, flavonoids, hesperidin, lemon, mandarin, naringin, narirutin, neoeriocitrin, neohesperidin, papeda, pummelo, sour orange

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.629.58