Anthocyanins from the parasitic medicinal plant cynomorium coccineum

Two anthocyanin pigments were isolated from the flowering tops of Cynomorium coccineum [Cynomoriaceae], a parasitic plant used in folk medicine as an astringent and aphrodisiac. The major pigment [92%] was identified as cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, while the minor pigment [8%] was identified as cyanidin 3-O-[6-O rhamnosylglucoside] by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. This was the first report of isolation of cyanidin 3-O-[6-O-rhamnosylglucoside] from the genus Cynomorium