Delphinidin (also delphinidine) is an

anthocyanidin Anthocyanidins are common plant pigments, the aglycones of anthocyanins. They are based on the flavylium cation, an oxonium ion, with various groups substituent, substituted for its hydrogen atoms. They generally change color from red through p ...

, a primary plant pigment, and also an

antioxidant Antioxidants are Chemical compound, compounds that inhibit Redox, oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce Radical (chemistry), free radicals. Autoxidation leads to degradation of organic compounds, including living matter. Antioxidants ...

. Delphinidin gives blue hues to flowers in the genera ''Viola'' and ''

Delphinium ''Delphinium'' is a genus of about 300 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the family (biology), family Ranunculaceae, native species, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. T ...

''. It also gives the blue-red color of the

grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...

variety Cabernet Sauvignon, and can be found in cranberries and Concord grapes as well as

pomegranate The pomegranate (''Punica granatum'') is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub in the family Lythraceae, subfamily Punica, Punicoideae, that grows between tall. Rich in symbolic and mythological associations in many cultures, it is thought to have o ...

s, and bilberries. Delphinidin, like nearly all other anthocyanidins, is pH-sensitive, i.e. a natural pH indicator, and changes from blue in basic solution to red in

acid An acid is a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton (i.e. Hydron, hydrogen cation, H+), known as a Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory, Brønsted–Lowry acid, or forming a covalent bond with an electron pair, known as a Lewis ...

ic solution.

Glycosides

Several

glycoside In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...

s derived from delphinidin are known: * Myrtillin (delphinidin-3-''O''-glucoside) and tulipanin (delphinidin-3-''O''-rutinoside) can be found in blackcurrant pomace. * Violdelphin (delphinidin 3-rutinoside-7-''O''-(6-''O''-(4-(6-''O''-(4-hydroxybenzoyl)-β-D-glucosyl)oxybenzoyl)-β-D-glucoside) is responsible for the purplish-blue flower color of '' Aconitum chinense''. * Nasunin (delphinidin-3-(''p''-coumaroylrutinoside)-5-glucoside) is responsible for the colour of the

eggplant Eggplant (American English, US, Canadian English, CA, Australian English, AU, Philippine English, PH), aubergine (British English, UK, Hiberno English, IE, New Zealand English, NZ), brinjal (Indian English, IN, Singapore English, SG, Malays ...

fruit's purple skin. *s including ''Clitoria ternatea'' ternatins

References

{{Anthocyanins Anthocyanidins

Glycosides

See also

References