journal article·2025-06-24Open access

Biflavonoid Profiling of Juniperus Species: The Influence of Plant Part and Growing Location

Barbara Medvedec, Iva Jurčević Šangut, Armin Macanović, Erna Karalija, Dunja Šamec

Applied Sciences· Volume 15· Issue 13

Abstract

Biflavonoids are an important group of flavonoids found in Juniperus species, yet their distribution and accumulation patterns remain insufficiently explored. In this study, we applied a method for the simultaneous quantification of seven biflavonoids to analyze different plant parts of J. communis, J. communis subsp. nana, and J. oxycedrus. In order to determinate the influence of growing location, we also analyzed J. communis samples collected from different locations. Four biflavonoids—cupressuflavone, amentoflavone, bilobetin, and hinokiflavone—were detected. In both analyzed J. communis varieties, amentoflavone was the predominant biflavonoid in cones and needles, while in J. oxycedrus, cupressuflavone was the most abundant in cones, with amentoflavone dominating in needles. Overall, biflavonoid content was significantly higher in needles than in cones, with total biflavonoid levels in needles exceeding 5 mg/g dw, highlighting the tissue-specific nature of biflavonoid biosynthesis within Juniperus species. Additionally, our results suggest that in J. communis, biflavonoid accumulation is significantly influenced by growing location.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Biological Activity of Diterpenoids and Biflavonoids · Phytochemistry and Biological Activities · Natural product bioactivities and synthesis

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Food Technology, University North, Trg. Dr. Žarka Dolinara 1, 48 000 Koprivnica, Croatia

Center for Ecology and Natural Resources “Academician Sulejman Redžić”, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Department for Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Funding

Croatian Science Foundation project “Biflavonoids role in plants: Ginkgo biloba L. as a model system” · Development of Young Researchers’ Careers—Training of New PhD Scientists

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