The flower petals of
Carthamus tinctorius L. (Compositae) provide one of the most important drugs in traditional Chinese
medicine used for the treatment of gynecological diseases, heart diseases and inflammation. Carthamin, safflor yellows A and B, safflomin A, and C, isocarthamin, isocarthamidin, hydroxysafflor yellow A, and tinctormine have been reported from these petals, as well as several new flavonoids and phenolic compounds. A continuation of these studies has led to the isolation of four compounds including a new flavonoid glucoside.The dried petals of C.tinctorius, cultivated in Sichuan, China, were extracted with 95% ethanol, and the extract was partitioned between H_2O and organic solvents (petroleum ether and EtOAc). The water fraction was subjected to Diaion D101 and Sephadex LH20 column chromatography with elution by a gradient of EtOH in water to yield compounds 1～4. Compound I is 6-
hydroxykaempferol-3-O-glucoside, compound II is a new compound named 6-hydroxykaempferol -7-O-glucoside, compound 3 is kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside and compound 4 is quercetin 3-O-glucoside.