Chemical composition of hydroethanolic extracts from fi ve species of the Passifl ora genus

The diversifi ed genus Passifl ora is well distributed all over Brazil, and many species have been long used as medicinal plants, mainly against anxiety disturbances. This effect has been attributed to its rich fl avonoid composition. Flavonoids’ main class, fl avonoid glycosides, has presented central action, particularly as sedativehypnotic, anxiolytic and analgesic. The objective of the present study was to make a phytochemical screening of fi ve little studied Passifl ora species, in order to evaluate their phenolic composition. For this aim, HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS was used. After the preparation of the hydroalcoholic extracts, each species was evaluated by direct injection electrospray ionization (ESI) and tandem mass spectrometry. Although belonging to the same genus, the composition of each species presented particularities; this justifi es the importance of studies aiming for the phenolic composition of different Passifl ora species. Flavones C-glycosides were detected in all extracts, and are found as the main constituents in P. vitifolia, P. coccinea, P. bahiensis and P. sidifolia. In this last one, fl avone-6,8-di-C-glycoside, apigenin-6-C-rhamnosyl-8-C-arabinoside are present in high content. Cyclopassifl osides were found in high content together with cyanogenic glycosides in P. quadrangularis, while in P. coccinea, besides fl avones-Cglycosides were also found procyanidins.