title: Degradation of the Isoflavone Biochanin A and Its Glucoside Conjugates by Ascochyta rabiei.
abstract: Strains of Ascochyta rabiei which are pathogenic to chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) readily catabolized the main chickpea isoflavone biochanin A (5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxyisoflavone). 3'-Hydroxylation and O-demethylation reactions led to the isoflavones pratensein, genistein, and orobol, which were rapidly further degraded. Dihydrogenistein and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid were also identified as catabolites. Biochanin A-7-O-glucoside was degraded, leading to aglycone and pratensein. Biochanin A-7-O-glucoside-6''-O-malonate, the main phenolic constituent of chickpea, was very slowly degraded without subsequent accumulation of catabolites.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Biochemie der Pflanzen, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, D-4400 Münster, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Barz