THE DISTRIBUTION OF ISOFLAVONOIDS IN CICER

Fifteen annual and perennial species of Cicer have been analysed for t he presence of isoflavonoids. The pterocarpans medicarpin and maackiai n and the isoflavonoids biochanin A and formononetin were present in t he roots of all species and also occurred widely as glucosides or malo nylated glucosides. Five recently identified isoflav-3-enes and a 2-ar ylbenzofuran were detected exclusively in three species, C. bijugum, C . judaicum and C. pinnatifidum, and their occurrence was restricted to the roots. Conversely, 9-O-methylcoumestrol was recorded in all speci es except for C. bijugum, C. judaicum and C. pinnatifidum. These speci es have been placed previously in series Cicer, a taxonomic grouping o f 6 species within section Cicer of subgenus Cicer. The present result s indicate that they should be considered as taxonomically distinct fr om other species in this series, a proposal supported by a number of o ther recent studies. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.