Identification of the xanthone of the capitulae from Syngonatnhus nitens (Eriocaulaceae) by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Syngonanthus nitens (Bong. Ruhland) or Golden grass is a grass-like species of Eriocaulaceae which exists in the region of Jalapão, state of Tocantins, Brazil. The handcrafts made from coils of S. nitens scapes represent important source of income in Jalapão [1]. The present study aimed to investigate the chemical profile of the methanol extract from the capitulae of S. nitens using HPLC-ESI-IT-MS, negative mode. Capitulae and scapes of S. nitens were collected in Jalapào city, Tocantins State, and authenticated by Dr. Paulo T. Sano from IB-USP (voucher SPF189975). Using this analytical approach three xanthone was detected 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone (1), 1,5,6- trihydroxy-3–7-dimethoxyxanthone (2) and 1,3,6–8-tetrahidroxy-2,5-dimethoxyxanthone(3). Previous studies of Eriocaulaceae those [2] did not mention the presence of xanthone in Syngonanthus genus. Current studies provide subsidies to try to better explain the relation between Leiothrix and Syngonanthus genus in Eriocaulaceae.

Acknowledgements: FAPESP, CNPq, CAPES and PROPG-UNESP.

References:1. Schmidt, IB. (2005) Etnobotânica e Ecologia Populacional de Syngonanthus nitens: Sempre-viva utilizada para artesanato no Jalapão, Tocantins. Dissertação (Mestrado em Ecologia), Universidade de Brasília.

2. Santos, LC. et al. (2001) Phytochemystry. 56:853–856.