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Plants of the genus Taraxacum Wigg., have long been used as medicinal herbs. A phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Taraxacum bessarabicum (Hornem.) Hand.- Mazz. subsp. bessarabicum (Hornem.) Hand.-Mazz. (Asteraceae) yielded two coumarins [esculetin (1), cichoriin (2)], three flavonoids [ luteolin (3), luteolin 7-O-ß-D-glucoside (4), gossypetin (5)] and six phenolic acids and their derivatives [ p-coumaric acid (6), caffeic acid (7), ferulic acid (8), chlorogenic acid methyl ester (9), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (10), 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid methyl ester (11)]. Their structures were established conclusively by UV, ESI-MS, 1-D and 2-D NMR spectra analyses and comparison with literature data. The presence of these compounds has been shown for the first time from this species. This is the first report of the isolation of compound 5 from the genus Taraxacum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scorzonera L. (Asteraceae) is considered a taxonomically difficult genus with its more than 160 species. Scorzonera bella (SB) and S. veratrifolia (SV) species have been treated as synonyms since 1975. Recent botanical studies suggested the separation of the two taxa based on phenetic dissimilarities. Isolation, LC-MS/MS (including 53 phytochemicals as standard), and GC-MS (followed by library search) analyzes were conducted on the aerial parts of the plants to compare their phytochemical compositions and contribute to the classification of the two taxa. While flavonoid profile of SB was dominated by flavones, the majority of SV consisted of flavonols, among the analyzed standards. Nicotiflorin, the most abundant compound of SV, was the most notable difference which was not determined in SB. Kaempferol glycosides might be chemotaxonomic markers for the classification at subgenus levels. Caffeoylquinic acid esters were in common and similar amounts according to profiling and isolation results. Phytochemical compositions of nonpolar fractions of the plants differed significantly in phthalic acid esters, ursane, and hopane type triterpenoids which were only determined in SV. Phytochemical findings supported the separation of the two taxa. Antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-Alzheimer, and anti-hyperpigmentation potentials of the plants were evaluated in-vitro. [Display omitted] • Scorzonera bella and S. veratrifolia are characterized by flavone and flavonol derivatives respectively. • Kaempferol derivatives might be important for the chemotaxonomy of the genus. • Caffeoylquinic acid esters showed no chemotaxonomic significance. • Significant differences were determined in nonpolar fractions of the plants. • Phytochemistry results supported the separation of the two taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]