biologia plantarum

Biologia plantarum 36:397, 1994 | DOI: 10.1007/BF02920938

Biointeraction between precarthamin and cell components in florets ofCarthamus tinctorius L.

K. Saito¹

¹ Department of Bioscience and Technology, School of Engineering, Hokkaido Tokai University, Sapporo, Japan

The relative rate of precarthamin extractability and floret protein inactivation by organic solvents were compared. Upon trituration of the floral tissues ofCarthamus tinctorius L., usually less extractable precarthamin is released at a markedly high level, while the releasability rate is changed conspicuously by macerating the florets in the test solvents of increased concentrations; the amount of releasable precarthamin also varies according to the solvents used. 30% (v/v) acetone promotes the pigment solubility about twice, whereas, its capacity decreases abruptly in reverse proportion to the increment of acetone content. Methanol accelerates the precarthamin release, but the rate is very low. Ethanol acts in far lesser extent. The data indicate that these varied aspects are more or less attributed to the inactivation of possible factors dissociating precarthamin from cellular components in freezed safflower florets.

Received: January 6, 1993; Accepted: September 15, 1993; Published: September 1, 1994  Show citation