ISOLATION OF POLYPHENOLS FROM POLYGALA-GAZENSIS AND LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS-SPECTROMETRY OF RELATED AFRICAN POLYGALA SPECIES

The chromonocoumarins frutinones A and B and lignans eudesmin, magnoli n, yangambin and kobusin were isolated from lipophilic extract of P. g azensis. This species and two other related Polygala species were subs equently analysed by thermospray liquid chromatography-mass spectromet ry and high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode-arr ay detection, Frutinone A was also found in the roots and aerial parts of P. teretifolia and P. fruticosa, while the presence of frutinone B was limited principally to the roots, Lignans were present in the aer ial parts of P. teretifolia, Frutinone A showed antifungal activity ag ainst Cladosporium cucumerinum and Candida albicans while eudesmin and kobusin were antifungal against Cladosporium cucumerinum only. (C) 19 97 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.