LIMONOIDS IN MIYAMASHIKIMI (SKIMMIA-JAPONICA THUNB.)

Miyamashikimi (Skimmia japonica Thunb.) seeds contain the following li monoids that are found in seeds of Citrus species: deacetylnomilin, no milin, limonin, obacunone, deacetylnomilinic acid, nomilinic acid, iso obacunoic acid; and those found in seeds of Fortunella species: retroc alamin, calamin, cyclocalamin, methyl isoobacunoate diosphenol and iso obacunoate diosphenolic acid; and those found in seeds of Citrus ichan gensis: ichangensin. They also contain 17-beta-D-glucopyranoside of li monin, nomilin, obacunone, deacetylnomilin, calamin, retrocalamin, cyc localamin and ichangensin. Skimmia japonica is the only plant which co ntains all of these limonoids. These data reveal unusual and unexpecte dly high levels of citrus-like limonoids which suggest that Skimmia ja ponica is taxonomically closer to Citrus than previously believed.