Malvidin is an
O-methylated anthocyanidin, the 3',5'-methoxy derivative of
delphinidin. As a primary
plant pigment, its
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 are highly abundant in nature.
Natural occurrences
Malvidin is responsible for the blue color found in petals of the ''
Primula'' plants of the ''polyanthus'' group. Blue flowers of the blue pimpernel (''
Anagallis monelli'') have also a higher concentration of malvidin.
It is responsible primarily for the color of red wine, ''
Vitis vinifera
''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern ...
'' being one of its sources. It is also present in other berries, such as blueberries (''
Vaccinium corymbosum'') or the saskatoon berries (''
Amelanchier alnifolia'').
Chemistry
Slightly
acidic and
neutral solutions of malvidin are characteristically of a red color, while
basic
Basic or BASIC may refer to:
Science and technology
* BASIC, a computer programming language
* Basic (chemistry), having the properties of a base
* Basic access authentication, in HTTP
Entertainment
* Basic (film), ''Basic'' (film), a 2003 film
...
solutions of malvidin yield a blue color.
The breakdown of malvidin releases
syringic acid
Syringic acid is a naturally occurring phenolic compound and dimethoxybenzene that is commonly found as a plant metabolite.
Natural occurrence
Syringic acid can be found in several plants including '' Ardisia elliptica'' and ''Schumannianthus ...
.
Use as a marker in archaeology
The breakdown of malvidin releases
syringic acid
Syringic acid is a naturally occurring phenolic compound and dimethoxybenzene that is commonly found as a plant metabolite.
Natural occurrence
Syringic acid can be found in several plants including '' Ardisia elliptica'' and ''Schumannianthus ...
as revealed in the examination of jars containing
shedeh, a drink of Ancient Egypt. Malvidin is also present in the site of the
Areni-1 winery, a 6,100-year-old winery discovered in 2007 in the Areni-1 cave complex in the village of Areni in the Vayots Dzor province of
Armenia
Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...
.
Glycosides
*
Malvin is a malvidin di
glucoside.
*
Oenin is the malvidin-3-glucoside.
*
Primulin is the 3-O-
galactoside of malvidin.
*
Malvidin 3-rutinoside is a pigment responsible for bract color in ''
Curcuma alismatifolia'' (the Siam tulip).
Acylated malvidin 3-rutinosides are responsible for the violet color of ''
Petunia integrifolia subsp. inflata''.
*
Malvidin-3-O-glucoside-5-O-(6-acetylglucoside) is a pigment responsible for the blue color in 'Johnson's Blue' and other 'blue'
geranium
''Geranium'' is a genus of 422 species of annual, biennial, and perennial plants that are commonly known as geraniums or cranesbills. They are found throughout the temperate regions of the world and the mountains of the tropics, with the gre ...
s
See also
*
List of phytochemicals in food
*
List of antioxidants in food
References
{{Anthocyanins
O-methylated anthocyanidins