Secondary metabolites from flowers of Genista cilentina Vals

Genista cilentina Vals. is an Italian endemic species belonging to Fabaceae which is characteristic of Cilento, a territory of Campania region overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. The phytochemical analysis of the ethanolic extract from the flowers revealed the presence of several flavonoid and isoflavonoid yet evidenced in this genus, and resulted in accordance with the flavonoidic pattern reported by Harborne for Genisteae tribe. In particular were identified genistein (1) the main isoflavonoid, biochanin A (2), luteolin (3) and apigenin (4) as aglycones, while several glycosidated derivatives are currently under study. Is worth of mention the conspicuous presence of liquiritigenin (5) a chalcone evidenced as the only synthesized compound in Genista tinctoria hairy root cultures treated with abscissic acid. Compound (5) is also endowed with interesting biological activities, i.e. gastroprotective, antiviral and counteracting the Alzheimer disease progression.