Molecules (Apr 2016)

Using LC and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis as Tools to Distinguish Timbó Collections into Two Deguelia Species: A Contribution to Chemotaxonomy

  • Danielle da Costa,
  • Consuelo e Silva,
  • Aline Pinheiro,
  • Débora Frommenwiler,
  • Mara Arruda,
  • Giselle Guilhon,
  • Cláudio Alves,
  • Alberto Arruda,
  • Milton Da Silva

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050569
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 5
p. 569

Abstract

Read online

The species Deguelia utilis and Deguelia rufescens var. urucu, popularly known as “timbó,” have been used for many years as rotenone sources in insecticide formulations. In this work, a method was developed and validated using a high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) system, and results were analyzed using hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). By quantifying the major rotenoids of these species, it was possible to establish a linear relation between them. The ratio between the concentrations of rotenone and deguelin for D. utilis is approximately 1:0.8, respectively, while for D. rufescens var. urucu it is 2:1. These results may help to distinguish these species contributing to their taxonomic identification.

Keywords