NEW INSIGHTS INTO GINKGO BIFLAVONOIDS A CENTURY AFTER THEIR INITIAL DISCOVERY.

In the early 20th century, the first dimeric flavonoid, ginkgetin, was isolated from the yellow leaves of the ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) tree. Today, researchers have identified nearly 600 different forms of dimeric flavonoids or biflavonoids, though they have received considerably less attention than their monomeric counterparts. Ginkgo, where the first biflavonoid was discovered, serve as a rich source of various biflavonoids and represent a model organism for our project investigating the role of these compounds in plants. To date, we have developed a robust method for the simultaneous determination and quantification of the five most abundant biflavonoids- amentoflavone, bilobetin, ginkgetin, isoginkgetin and sciadopitysin. We have also conducted comprehensive profiling of these compounds across various tissues and throughout different growing stages. Our research suggests that the localization and increased accumulation of biflavonoids may be indicative of their roles within plants, a topic that will be discussed during the presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]