Anthocyanins from flowers of the orchids Dracula chimaera and D. cordobae

The main anthocyanins from flowers of the orchids Dracula chimaera and D. cordobae were isolated from a purified methanolic extract by preparative HPLC. Their structures were determined to be cyanidin 3-O-(6″-O-malonyl-β-glucopyranoside), cyanidin 3-O-(6″-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside), cyanidin 3-O-β-glucopyranoside, peonidin 3-O-(6″-O-α-rhamnopyranosyl-β-glucopyranoside) and peonidin 3-O-(6″-O-malonyl-β-glucopyranoside). The structure determinations were mainly based on extensive use of 2D and 1D NMR spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy and MS. The anthocyanin contents of species belonging to the subtribe Pleurothallidinae including genus Dracula Luer (Orchidaceae) have previously not been determined. The high content of anthocyanin rutinosides found in D. chimaera and D. cordobae (78 and 28% of the total anthocyanin content, respectively) differs from previously analysed orchid species, in which glucose is found as the only anthocyanin sugar moiety.