Tocochromanols in the Leaves of Plants in the Hypericum and Clusia Genera

Now under Clusiaceae and Hypericaceae, <i>Clusia</i> and <i>Hypericum</i> were previously categorized under one family until they were divided in 2003 by the APG III system. The <i>Clusia</i> genus is characterized by the presence of tocotrienol derivatives with antiangiogenic properties, and only <i>Hypericum perforatum</i> tocochromanol content has been studied in the <i>Hypericum</i> genus. Twelve species were analyzed: <i>H. aegypticum</i>, <i>H. calycinum</i>, <i>H. empetrifolium</i>, <i>H. lancasteri</i>, <i>H. olympicum</i> f. <i>minus</i> 'Sulphureum', <i>H. perforatum</i>, <i>H. xylosteifolium</i>, <i>C. fluminensis</i>, <i>C. minor</i>, <i>C. odorata</i>, <i>C. palmicida</i>, and <i>C. tocuchensis</i>. Plant leaves were analyzed for their tocochromanol (α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocotrienol and tocopherol) contents using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescent light detector (RP-HPLC-FLD) method. While α-tocopherol (α-T) was present in the highest proportion, the leaves had significant tocotrienol (T3) contents. Following α-T, δ-T3 was present in most <i>Clusia</i> samples, and γ-T3 in most <i>Hypericum</i> samples, except <i>H. olympicum</i>, in which α-T3 followed. <i>C. minor</i> had the highest α-T (112.72 mg 100 g^-1) and total tocochromanol (141.43 mg 100 g^-1) content, followed by <i>C. palmicida</i> (65.97 and 82.96 mg 100 g^-1, respectively) and <i>H. olympicum</i> (α-T 32.08, α-T3 30.68, and total tocochromanols 89.06 mg 100 g^-1). The <i>Hypericum</i> genus is a valuable source of tocotrienols, with potential use after purification.