Flavonoids in Malpighiaceae: A Comparative Study of Four Species from the Northern Minas Gerais Cerrado

This study investigated the diversity of flavonoids in four Malpighiaceae species occurring in the northern Minas Gerais cerrado. The species share the same environment as sympatric congeners, two belonging to the genus Banisteriopsis (B. gardneriana and B. cf. anisandra), and two to the genus Diplopterys (D. lutea and D. pubipetala). The study was conducted using hydroethanolic extracts and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The elution system employed was specific for flavonoids, and detection was carried out using 5% aluminum chloride. The results indicated similar retention factors (Rf) among the species, as well as unique markers for each sample, demonstrating both diversity and the presence of specific metabolite markers. These findings support a possible chemotaxonomic relationship among the species, suggesting the conservation of biosynthetic pathways within the family.