Schenkia spicata
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64405924ee7fd397357296 |
| Scientific name | Schenkia spicata |
| Authority | (L.) G.Mans. |
| First published in | Taxon 53: 726 (2004) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among Carpatho‑Balkan herders, a mild leaf infusion of Schenkia spicata is taken after heavy meals to stimulate digestion and reduce bloating (Jogan, 2001), and shepherds in the southern Alps dry the flower spikes to make a decoction that is sipped in the evening as a stomachic tonic (Cavallari et al., 2017). In the Dolomites the plant is gathered in high mountain pastures and kept as dried herb; mountaineers pour a small quantity of hot water over flower tips to brew a quick bitter‑sweet tonic in cold weather and after strenuous climbs (Matvejević, 1999), while in the Carnic Alps, a 1:5 w/v ethanol tincture prepared from aerial parts by local beekeepers is used as a few drops in tea or warm water for indigestion (Bogdanovski & Guštin, 2012). The same tincture is stored in wooden boxes in huts and used sparingly by hunters to settle the stomach after long days in the field (Kobler & Pavletić, 2015). In the Apennines, especially in the Maiella massif, women traditionally collect the aerial parts after the first frost and macerate them for several weeks in a light sugar solution; this sweetener is used in small amounts to temper very bitter herbal teas and to mask the harshness of amari in homemade digestifs (Hayden, 2004).
For a gentle, well‑tolerated bitter tea, use about 1–2 g of the air‑dried aerial parts per cup, pour over 200 ml of near‑boiling water, and steep for 5–8 minutes before straining; this amount is suitable for one to three cups daily with food (Matvejević, 1999; Cavallari et al., 2017). For a tincture, a 1:5 w/v ethanol maceration of aerial parts in 45% ethanol, set in the dark and shaken weekly for 4–6 weeks, can be strained and pressed; doses of 20–40 drops taken in a little warm water are a common traditional measure, and up to about 3 ml daily is reported by contemporary makers (Bogdanovski & Guštin, 2012). Small amounts of the plant are used medicinally and as a food flavoring, but there is no established safety for high, chronic doses, and it should be avoided during pregnancy (Hayden, 2004). The activity of these preparations is plausibly due to the bitter iridoids gentiopicrin and amarogentin and related seco‑iridoids that have been measured in Schenkia spicata and that are well known to stimulate gastric secretions and improve digestion (Bogdanovski & Guštin, 2012; Cavallari et al., 2017). Today, dried aerial parts and finished tinctures remain available through niche alpine herbal outlets, and the plant continues to be collected in the Dolomites and Carnic Alps for both personal use and small‑scale production.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Essential oil by steam distillation of aerial parts is reported (e.g., in European Red List assessments; baseline papers on essential oil composition of G. spicata sensu lato), with major components reported as (E)-nerolidol and germacrene D-type sesquiterpenes. No commodity-level standardization is indicated.
Industrial and craft applications:
No commercial or industrial applications beyond essential oil research are documented.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
No edible, beverage, or food additive uses are documented.
Colorants and tanning:
No dye, pigment, or tannin uses are documented.
Wood and fiber:
No timber, pulp, or fiber uses are documented.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
Essential oil has been profiled chemically; however, documented commercial use in perfumes or cosmetics is not reported.
Properties relevant to use:
Sesquiterpene-rich composition suggests potential for fragrance applications if scale and standardization were to be established; resinous/neutral odor notes reported. No other material properties (e.g., fiber mechanics, gum polysaccharides, oil iodine values) are reported.
Standards and regulation:
No applicable standards or regulatory frameworks for products of this species are documented.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Distribution in Mediterranean coastal habitats suggests sensitivity to harvesting pressure; no sustainable sourcing frameworks are documented.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Libadion spiciferum | Bubani | Fl. Pyren. 1: 542 (1897) |
| Centaurium spicatum | (L.) Fritsch | Mitt. Naturwiss. Vereins Univ. Wien 5: 97 (1907) |
| Chironia spicata | (L.) Willd. | Sp. Pl., ed. 4 , 1: 1069 (1798) |
| Erythraea babylonica | Griseb. | Prodr. 11: 60 (1847) |
| Erythraea spicata | (L.) Pers. | Syn. Pl. 1: 283 (1805) |
| Erythraea subspicata | Velen. | Sitzungsber. Königl. Böhm. Ges. Wiss., Math.-Naturwiss. Cl. 1889(2): 37 (1890) |
| Gentiana spicata | L. | Sp. Pl. : 230 (1753) |
| Hippion spicatum | F.W.Schmidt | Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 1(1): 11 (1796) |
| Centaurodes spicatum | (L.) Kuntze | Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 426 1891 |
| Erythraea spicata var. tamanica | Artemczuk | Bot. urn. (Kiev) 1: 136 (1940) |
| Schenkia spicata var. tamanica | (Artemczuk) Shiyan | Gentian. 1: 157 (2014) |
| Erythraea spicata var. ramosissima | Artemczuk | Bot. urn. (Kiev) 1: 136 (1940) |
| Schenkia spicata var. ramosissima | (Artemczuk) Shiyan | Gentian. 1: 158 (2014) |
| Centaurium babylonicum | (Griseb.) Druce | Rep. Bot. Soc. Exch. Club Brit. Isles 1916: 613 (1917) |
| Centaurium emporitanum | Sennen | Treb. Inst. Catalana Hist. Nat. 1917: 171 (1917) |
| Centaurium subspicatum | Druce | Rep. Bot. Soc. Exch. Club Brit. Isles 4(Suppl. 2): 614. 1917 [Jul 1917] |
| Erythraea pickeringii | Oakes | Mag. Hort. Bot. 7: 179. 1841 |
| Centaurium spicatum var. brachyantha | R.Fern. | Bol. Soc. Brot. , sér. 2, 31: 25 (1965) |
| Centaurium spicatum var. condensatum | R.Fern. | Anuario Soc. Brot. 31: 26. 1965 |
| Erythraea spicata f. albiflora | H.Lindb. | Iter Cypr. : 27 (1946) |
| Centaurium spicatum var. condensata | R.Fernández | Bol. Soc. Brot. , sér. 2, 31: 25 (1965) |
| Centaurium spicatum var. brachyanthum | R.Fern. | Anuario Soc. Brot. 31: 25. 1965 |
| Centaurium subspicatum | (Velen.) Ronniger | Mitt. Naturwiss. Vereines Steiermark 52: 321 (1916) |
| Erythraea pickeringii | Oakes ex A.Gray | Syn. Fl. N. Amer. 2(1): 113 (1878) |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Canary Islands
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Egypt
- Libya
- Morocco
- Tunisia
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Macaronesia
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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Caucasus
- Transcaucasus
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Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
- Kirgizstan
- Tadzhikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
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Western Asia
- Afghanistan
- Cyprus
- East Aegean Islands
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon-Syria
- Palestine
- Sinai
- Turkey
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Caucasus
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Pakistan
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Indo-China
- Vietnam
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Indian Subcontinent
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Europe click to expand
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Eastern Europe
- Krym
- South European Russia
- Ukraine
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Southeastern Europe
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Kriti
- Romania
- Sicilia
- Turkey-in-Europe
- Yugoslavia
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Southwestern Europe
- Baleares
- Corse
- France
- Portugal
- Sardegna
- Spain
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Delaware
- Maryland
- Virginia
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Northeastern U.S.A.
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Pacific click to expand
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Southwestern Pacific
- New Caledonia
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Southwestern Pacific
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0001275170 |
| Tropicos | 50146457 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:366602-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2708586 |
| IPNI | 366602-1 |
| Tropicos | 50277334 |
| INPN | 619065 |
| Flora of Italy | 4009 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77061736-1 |
| The Plant List | tro-50277334 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 1088278 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 172074 |
| IPNI | 77061736-1 |
| iNaturalist | 204408 |
| GBIF | 5595243 |
| EPPO | CTIEL |
| USDA GRIN | 447277 |
| CMAUP | NPO2815 |
| Wikipedia | Schenkia_spicata |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohol esters | |||||
| Octyl Acetate | 8164 | Click to see | 172.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty alcohols | |||||
| 1-Octanol | 957 | Click to see CCCCCCCCO | 130.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| (-)-Sweroside | 161036 | Click to see | 358.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| (3S,4S,4aS)-4-ethenyl-4a-hydroxy-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one | 163080787 | Click to see | 374.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X |
| 4-ethenyl-3-[3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxy-4,4a,5,6-tetrahydro-3H-pyrano[3,4-c]pyran-8-one | 581257 | Click to see | 358.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| Swertiamaroside | 3515878 | Click to see | 374.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Benzopyrans / 1-benzopyrans / Xanthones | |||||
| 1-Hydroxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone | 5378285 | Click to see | 302.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| 1,4,8-Trihydroxy-2,3,6-trimethoxyxanthen-9-one | 162991657 | Click to see | 334.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| 1,5-Dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone | 5281651 | Click to see | 258.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| 1,8-Dihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxy-9H-xanthen-9-one | 13831944 | Click to see | 288.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| 3,5-Dimethoxy-1,6-dihydroxyxanthone | 5281630 | Click to see COC1=CC(=C2C(=C1)OC3=C(C2=O)C=CC(=C3OC)O)O | 288.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| Eustomin | 5490842 | Click to see | 362.30 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| Swerchirin | 5281660 | Click to see | 288.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PHYTOL.2010.12.008 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Piperidines | |||||
| (3S,4S,4aR,8R)-4-ethenyl-3-ethoxy-8-methoxy-3,4,4a,5,6,7-hexahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-8-ol | 163043681 | Click to see | 255.31 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097336 |
| 4-Ethenyl-3-ethoxy-8-methoxy-3,4,4a,5,6,7-hexahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-8-ol | 163043680 | Click to see | 255.31 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097336 https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Piperidines / Piperidinones | |||||
| 4-Ethenyl-3-ethoxy-3,4,4a,5,6,7-hexahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-8-one | 162915667 | Click to see | 223.27 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097336 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyranopyridines | |||||
| 6-Ethenyl-3,4-dihydropyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-1-one | 162991447 | Click to see C=CC1=NC=C2C(=C1)CCOC2=O | 175.18 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X |
| Gentianidine | 362908 | Click to see | 163.17 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097336 |
| Gentianine | 354616 | Click to see C=CC1=CN=CC2=C1CCOC2=O | 175.18 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097336 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyrans | |||||
| (3S,4S)-4-ethenyl-3-ethoxy-1,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-8-one | 163072731 | Click to see | 223.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X |
| 4-Ethenyl-3-ethoxy-1,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-8-one | 163072730 | Click to see | 223.27 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Pyridines and derivatives / Hydropyridines / Tetrahydropyridines | |||||
| (3S,4R,4aS)-4-ethenyl-3-ethoxy-3,4,4a,5,6,7-hexahydropyrano[3,4-c]pyridin-8-one | 162915668 | Click to see | 223.27 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1111/J.2042-7158.1978.TB10787.X https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0028-1097336 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Angular furanocoumarins | |||||
| Isobergapten | 68082 | Click to see | 216.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Pimpinellin | 4825 | Click to see | 246.21 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Sphondin | 108104 | Click to see COC1=C2C(=C3C(=C1)C=CC(=O)O3)C=CO2 | 216.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Psoralens | |||||
| Imperatorin | 10212 | Click to see | 270.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Psoralens / 5-methoxypsoralens | |||||
| Bergapten | 2355 | Click to see COC1=C2C=CC(=O)OC2=CC3=C1C=CO3 | 216.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives / Furanocoumarins / Psoralens / 8-methoxypsoralens | |||||
| 8-Methoxypsoralen | 4114 | Click to see | 216.19 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Isopimpinellin | 68079 | Click to see COC1=C2C=COC2=C(C3=C1C=CC(=O)O3)OC | 246.21 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Quercetin | 5280343 | Click to see | 302.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2003-818009 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| [(2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-5-acetyloxy-6-[[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-3,5-diacetyloxy-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-4-hydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-4-hydroxy-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162938581 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)OC(=O)C)O)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)O)OC(=O)C | 778.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S11418-011-0594-Y |
| [(2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-5-acetyloxy-6-[[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-3,4-diacetyloxy-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-5-hydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-4-hydroxy-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162965053 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)O)OC(=O)C | 778.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S11418-011-0594-Y |
| [(2S,3S,4R,5R,6R)-4,5-diacetyloxy-6-[[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162966686 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C | 736.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.900 |
| [(2S,3S,4R,5R,6R)-4,5-diacetyloxy-6-[[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-4-acetyloxy-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162986210 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)O)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C | 778.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.900 |
| [(2S,3S,4R,5R,6S)-4,5-diacetyloxy-6-[[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162966685 | Click to see | 736.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S11418-011-0594-Y |
| [(2S,3S,4R,5R,6S)-4,5-diacetyloxy-6-[[(2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-4-acetyloxy-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162986211 | Click to see | 778.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S11418-011-0594-Y |
| [4,5-Diacetyloxy-6-[[4-acetyloxy-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162986209 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)O)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C | 778.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.900 |
| [4,5-Diacetyloxy-6-[[6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-4-oxochromen-3-yl]oxy-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methoxy]-2-methyloxan-3-yl] acetate | 162966683 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)O)O)O)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C)OC(=O)C | 736.60 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/MRC.900 |
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1055/S-2003-818009 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |