Spatiotemporal variability of phenolics in Lotus corniculatus

Abstract

The concentration of catechin, epicatechin, rutin and quercetin was determined by high performance liquid chromatography on methanolic extracts from leaves+stems and flowers+fruits of Lotus corniculatus harvested at vegetative and reproductive stages. Phenological stage did not affect the flavonoid concentration of leaves+stems extracts, which presented higher concentration of catechin (2.11 mg.g^-1) than flowers+fruits extract (1.18 mg.g^-1). The highest concentrations of epicatechin (11,6 mg.g^-1), quercetin (1,26 mg.g^-1) and rutin (2,23 mg.g^-1) occurred in the flower+ fruit extract. The concentration of phenolics in this species seems to be dependent on the biomass allocation in the vegetative and reproductive organs of the plants.