Characteristics of flavonoids and coumarins in Meyer lemon (Citrus meyerii)

Abstract

Meyer lemon is considered a hybrid of lemon and man-darin. The characteristics of flavonoids and coumarins in Meyer lemon were examined by comparison with Eureka lemon and mandarins (Satsuma mandarin and navel orange). The contents of eriocitrin, hesperidin, and nobiletin in Meyer lemon were comparable to mandarins, while narirutin, 6,8-C-diglucosylapigenin, 6,8-C-diglucosyldios-metin, and diosmin were comparable to Eureka lemon. Meyer lemon held an intermediate position between Eureka lemon and mandarins on a scatter diagram gene-rated from principal component analysis. 5-Geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin, 8-geranyloxypsoralen, and 5-geranyl-oxypsoralen were detected only in Eureka lemon. 5, 7-Dimethoxycoumarin was abundantly contained in green Meyer lemon.