Abstract

This study was carried out to isolate and characterize the flavonoids present in corn silks. Maysin content in the unpollinated corn silks (Kwangpyeongok) showed its highest level at 3 days after silking, and decreased thereafter, while the content of open pollinated silks were consistently decreased after silking. This result indicates that the maysin content is considerably affected by the pollination of corn silk. Unpollinated corn silks were collected with excising, and ethanol employed to extract flavonoids at common temperature for 9 days. After extraction, chlorophyll, lipids etc. were removed with methylene chloride, then submitted to flash column cartridge ($150{\times}40mm$ i.d.) packed with a preparative $RP-C_{18}$ bulk packing material ($125{\AA}$, $55-105{\mu}m$), and monitored at 352 nm. Four fractions, fraction-I, -II, -III, and -IV, were isolated from ethanolic extract of corn silks. Absorption spectrum of fraction I showed its maximum intensity (${\lambda}_{max}$) at 327 nm and 239 nm, fraction-II showed its maximum intensity at 339 nm and 274 nm, fraction-III showed its maximum intensity at 345 nm and 277 nm, and fraction-IV showed its maximum intensity at 352 nm, 270 nm, 257 nm, respectively. On the baisis of ESI micro-TOF analysis, fraction-I was identified as chlorogenic acid (m/z 355, 3-(3,4-dihydroxycinnamoyl) quinic acid, $C_{16}H_{18}O_9$), fraction-II identified as a mixture of chlorogenic acid and luteolin 3'-methyl ether 7-glucuronosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-glucuronide (m/z 653, $C_{28}H_{28}O_{18}$), fraction-III identified as a mixture of chlorogenic acid luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside (m/z 595, $C_{27}H_{30}O_{15}$), and luteolin 3'-methyl ether 7-glucuronosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-glucuronide, and fraction-IV identified as maysin (m/z 577, 2"-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosyl-6-C-(6-deoxy-xylohexose-4-ulosyl)luteolin, $C_{27}H_{28}O_{14}$), respectively. From the ethanolic extract of corn silks, fraction-I was obtained about 35 mg/100 g F.W., fraction-II was about 48 mg/100 g F.W., fraction-III was about 46 mg/100 g F.W., and fraction-IV was about 138 mg/100 g F.W., respectively.

본 연구는 옥수수수염에 함유된 flavonoid 계열의 물질인 maysin, luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside, luteolin 3'-methyl ether 7-glucuronosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-glucuronide 및 polyphenol성 물질인 chlorogenic acid을 추출 및 분리하는 방법에 관한 것으로, 얻어진 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 수정되지 않은 옥수수수염의 메이신 함량은 출사 후 3일에 함량이 최대치에 도달하고, 그 후 감소되는 것으로 나타났으며, 방임수분된 옥수수수염의 메이신 함량은 출사후 지속적으로 감소되는 것으로 나타나 화분의 수분 여부에 따라 메이신 함량에 많은 차이가 있음을 알 수 있었다. 2. 채취한 옥수수수염에 에탄올을 가하여 9일간 상온에서 추출 후 엽록소, 지질 및 당질 등을 제거시키고, $C_{18}$ column chromatography를 수행하여 분취물 I, II, III, IV를 얻었다. 3. 분취물의 흡광도를 분석한 결과 분취물 I은 327 nm 및 239 nm에서 최대 흡수 파장(${\lambda}_{max}$)을 나타내었고, 분취물 II는 339 nm 및 274 nm, 분취물 III는 345 nm 및 277 nm, 분취물 IV는 352 nm, 270 nm, 및 257 nm 에서 최대 흡수파장을 나타내었다. 4. 분취물 I은 m/z $355[M+H]^+$인 chlorogenic acid(3-(3,4-dihydroxycinnamoyl)quinic acid, $C_{16}H_{18}O_9$)이었으며, 분취물 II는 chlorogenic acid와 m/z $653[M+H]^+$인 luteolin 3'-methyl ether 7-glucuronosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-glucuronide ($C_{28}H_{28}O_{18}$)를 함유한 혼합물, 분취물 III는 chlorogenic acid와 m/z $595[M+H]^+$인 luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside ($C_{27}H_{30}O_{15}$) 및 luteolin 3'-methyl ether 7-glucuronosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-glucuronide를 함유한 혼합물이었고, 분취물 IV는 m/z $577[M+H]^+$인 maysin ($C_{27}H_{28}O_{14}$, 2"-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnosyl-6-C-(6-deoxy-xylo-hexose-4-ulosyl)luteolin 임을 각각 확인 하였다. 5. 옥수수수염의 알코올 추출물로부터 분리된 분취물 I은 옥수수수염 생체 100 g 당 (수분함량 약 92%) 35 mg/100 g, 분취물 II는 48 mg/100 g, 분취물 III는 46 mg/100 g, 분취물 IV는 138 mg/100 g을 얻을 수 있었다.

Keywords

• corn silk;
• chlorogenic acid;
• luteolin 3'-methyl ether 7-glucuronosyl-($1{\rightarrow}2$)-glucuronide;
• luteolin 7-O-neohesperidoside;
• maysin