title: Crocus sativus Petals: Waste or Valuable Resource? The Answer of High-Resolution and High-Resolution Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
abstract: Intact Crocus sativus petals were studied for the first time by high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (HR-MAS NMR) spectroscopy, revealing the presence of kinsenoside (2) and goodyeroside A (3), together with 3-hydroxy-γ-butyrolactone (4). These findings were confirmed by HR-NMR analysis of the ethanol extract of fresh petals and showed that, even though carried out rapidly, partial hydrolysis of glucopyranosyloxybutanolides occurs during extraction. On the other hand, kaempferol 3-O-sophoroside (1), which is "NMR-silent" in intact petals, is present in extracts. These results suggest to evaluate the utilization of saffron petals for phytopharmaceutical and nutraceutical purposes to exploit a waste product of massive production of commercial saffron and point to the application of HR-MAS NMR for monitoring bioactive compounds directly on intact petals, avoiding the extraction procedure and the consequent hydrolysis reaction.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze per la Qualità della Vita, Università di Bologna , Corso D'Augusto 237, 47921 Rimini, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Righi
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Parenti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna , Via Belmeloro 8/A, 40123 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Vitaliano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tugnoli
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schenetti
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mucci
mesh_terms: D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D055442:Metabolome; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Crocus sativus; HR-MAS NMR; goodyeroside A; kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside; kinsenoside; saffron