title: Enhancing effect of UV-light on the accumulation of carthamine in dyer's saffron florets.
abstract: UV-C (254 nm)- and UV-B (280-320 nm)-light were irradiated onto bright-yellow capitula of dyer's saffron and their effects on carthamine accumulation compared. UV-C light promotes reddening of florets more prominently than UV-B light, yielding higher amounts of carthamine after the radiation process. The enhancement of carthamine synthesis by UV-C light was investigated on cellulose columns loaded with floret extracts under O2-sufficient or O2-deficient conditions. Externally charged O2 inhibits the UV-C- stimulated carthamine formation. The results are discussed in relation to light stimulation of carthamine synthesis in dyer's saffron florets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Technology, School of Engineering, Hokkaido Tokai University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Utsumi
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D002599:Chalcone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D003510:Cyclohexanes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D005960:Glucosides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008027:Light; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017365:Spices / Q000528:radiation effects*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D003510:Cyclohexanes; D005960:Glucosides; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D002599:Chalcone; C103141:carthamine; D010100:Oxygen