Several studies have shown that the heartwood of Prosopis juliflora contains high amounts of a naturally rare flavan-3-ol compound identified as 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)chromane-3,7,8-triol otherwise known as (−)-mesquitol (1). It is known to possess strong antioxidant properties, which may be of valuable interest for further valorization. However, no data exists so far showing the variations of its abundance depending on the different geographic habitats of the tree, the age and the different parts of the tree stem. The variability of flavan-3-ols depending on the geographical area and intra-specific variability within P. juliflora trees from Kenya was addressed in this substantive study. The study was done using wood extracts from three different counties in Kenya (Baringo, Garissa and Turkana Counties). Wood samples were separated into two categories of ages; small trees, aged less than 4 years and the big trees, aged more than 8 years. Each sample was divided into five different parts, which included the bark, sapwood, knot wood, heartwood and the pith. Serial extractions were done by the Dionex accelerated solvent extractor using four solvents in increasing polarity (dichloromethane, acetone, toluene: ethanol (2:1 v/v) and finally water). Gas chromatographic analysis coupled to mass spectrometry was employed to identify the different compounds present in the extracts. LC–MS/MS method was thereafter developed and used to confirm the identity and quantify the amounts of mesquitol present. Two other flavan-3-ols identified and quantified included catechin (2) and 4′-O-methylgallocatechin (3). A systematic study on the mass spectra and the observed fragmentations of the flavonoids showed that mesquitol compound is the most abundant compound in P. juliflora with high amounts being found in the heartwood and pith of the acetonic extract (47–72%). Mesquitol abundance was also found to vary depending on the age of the tree and on the geographical areas.

中文翻译：

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肯尼亚百日草Prosopis juliflora树木中香豆酚含量的地理和种内变异性

几项研究表明，胡桃木的心材中含有大量天然稀有的黄烷-3-醇化合物，称为2-（3,4-二羟基苯基）苯并三氢呋喃-3,7,8-三醇，也称为（-）-豆蔻醇（1）。众所周知，它具有很强的抗氧化性能，可能对进一步的增值具有重要意义。但是，到目前为止，尚无数据显示其丰度随树的不同地理栖息地，树龄和树茎的不同部分而变化。黄烷-3-醇的变异性取决于地理区域和朱红假单胞菌内种内变异性这项实质性研究探讨了肯尼亚的树木。这项研究是使用肯尼亚三个不同县（巴林哥，加里萨和图尔卡纳县）的木材提取物完成的。木材样品分为两个年龄段：年龄小于4岁的小树和年龄大于8年的大树。每个样品分为五个不同部分，包括树皮，边材，结木，心材和髓。连续萃取是由Dionex加速溶剂萃取器使用极性递增的四种溶剂（二氯甲烷，丙酮，甲苯：乙醇（2：1 v / v），最后是水）。气相色谱分析与质谱联用用于鉴定提取物中存在的不同化合物。此后开发了LC-MS / MS方法，并用于确认身份并量化存在的倍他豆酚的含量。鉴定和定量的另外两个黄烷-3-醇包括儿茶素（2）和4'- O-甲基没食子儿茶素（3）。在质谱和黄酮类化合物的所观察到的分片的系统研究表明，mesquitol化合物是最丰富的化合物P. juliflora在丙酮提取物（47-72％）的心材和髓被发现具有高含量。还发现了香豆酚的丰度根据树的年龄和地理区域而变化。