Flavonoids in buds and young needles of Picea, Pinus and Abies

A number of flavonoids have been detected in buds and young needles in seven species of the genus Picea, four within the genus Pinus and seven species within the genus Abies. The flavonoids were characterized by means of chromatographic (HPLC), spectroscopic (UV) and spectrometric (MS) properties. Twenty-six flavonols, two flavones, four dihydroflavonols together with one dihydrochalcone and one flavanone are reported, together with the relative abundances of the compounds within each species. Several flavonoids are reported for the first time from the investigated trees. Among the flavonol glycosides found both in Picea and Abies, six 3-(6-acetyl-glucosides) and other acetyl-glucosides were detected. The most abundant sugar-moieties connected to the flavonoids are glucose and rutinose. Flavonol-rhamnosides are present only in the Abies species. This genus also contains two flavone C-glycosides that occur as the main flavonoids in some of the species. The Pinus species stood out for their less diverse content of flavonoids at this stage of development compared to Picea and Abies. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.