Phenolics from ethyl acetate extract of Telosma cordata (Burm. f.) Merr. Flowers

Abstract

Telosma cordata (Burm. f.) Merr. is well known for its flowers, which serve both as food and medicine. Despite its traditional use, the bioactive compounds in its flowers remain underexplored. An investigation of the ethyl acetate extract of T. cordata flowers resulted in the isolation of five compounds, namely: quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), kaempferol 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), (+)-pinoresinol (3), trans-cinnamic acid (4), and trans-ferulic acid (5). These structures were established by 1D, 2D-NMR spectroscopy, and ESI-MS, together with comparison to previous reports. Notably, these compounds 3-5 were isolated from the flowers of this plant for the first time. The findings indicated that flavonoid glucosides were the main compounds and could serve as key markers for the herb’s chemotaxonomic classification. In addition, flavonoid glucosides possess various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects. Moreover, this study revealed that the plant’s potential uses in functional foods, and nutraceuticals while also advancing our understanding of its phytochemical profile as well as opening the door for pharmacological and preclinical research.