Carotenoids and their fatty acid esters in the petals of Adonis aestivalis

Abstract

Carotenoids and their fatty acid esters were investigated in the petals of Adonis aestivalis by UVVIS, 1H-NMR, FAB-MS, and CD spectrometry. (3S,3′S)-astaxanthin (diester: 72.2%, monoester: 13.8%, free: 1.4%) and (3S)-adonirubin (monoester: 13.8%, free: 0.3 %) were identified as the major components. The fatty acids esterified with astaxanthin and adonirubin were assigned as C18:0, C18:1, C16:0, C16:1, C14:0, C12:0, and C10:0 from the FAB-MS spectral data. Copyright ©2011 by Japan Oil Chemists' Society.