A Study on Bisflavone Constituents and Chemotaxonomy of Cephalotaxus

Ma Zhong-Wu, He Guan-Tu, Yin Wan-Fen

Received:1900-01-01 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:1990-03-10 Published:1990-03-10
Contact: Ma Zhong-Wu

Abstract:

Bisflavone constituents of 6 species in the genus Cephalotaxus were analysed by dif-

ferent chemical methods. The result and some suggestions are as follows:

1. Fu's (1984) division of the genus Cephalotaxus into two sections, Cephalotaxus and Pec-

tinatea, is supported by the fact that oliveriflavone has so far been found only in Cephalotaxus

oliveri.

2. Our result is favourable to the opinion that Cephalotaxaceae is a natural taxon and inclu-

des only one genus, Cephalotaxus, but not to the placement of Amentotaxus of Taxaceae into

Cephalotaxaceae. Accroding to the literature and our analytical data, bisflavones and alkaloids

are the main constituents of Cephalotaxus, which have not been found in Amentotaxus of Taxa-

ceae.

3. Cephalotaxus is considered closely related to Taxaceae, and Podocarpaceae, but not clo-

sely related to Araucariaceae, Pinaceae, Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae. Cephalotaxus, Taxaceae

and Podocarpaceae (expect for Podocarpus) only contain C-3'/C-8”-type of bisflavone constitu-

ents, whereas Araucariaceae, Taxodiaceae, and Cupressaceae, in addition to C-3'/C-8”-type of

bisflavone constituents, also contain many other bisflavone constituents, and bisflavone constitu-

ents have not been found in Pinaceae.

Key words: Cephalotaxus, bisflavones, chemical taxonomy

Ma Zhong-Wu, He Guan-Tu, Yin Wan-Fen. A Study on Bisflavone Constituents and Chemotaxonomy of Cephalotaxus[J]. .

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