Isolation and characterization of brassinosteroids from immature seeds of Camellia sinensis (O) Kuntze

Brassinosteroids play an important role in growth and development of plants. They have been reported universally in all the plants. The present study deals with the presence of these compounds in immature tea seeds. Five brassinosteroids, i.e. 6-deoxo-28-norcathasterone, 6-deoxo-28-norteasterone, 3-dehydro-6-deoxo-28-norteasterone, 6-deoxo28-nortyphasterol and 6-deoxo-28-norcastasterone have been isolated and identified by GC-MS. The identified brassinosteroids and their derivatives are active constituents of late C-6 oxidation pathway, thereby suggesting the biosynthesis of brassinosteroids in tea seeds by late C-6 oxidation pathway.