Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds which are categorized into six different general classes. Flavonols, flavones, flavan-3-ols, anthocyanidins, isoflavones, and flavanones are modified versions of the flavonoid general structure consisting of 15 carbons with 2 aromatic rings which are joined by a 3-carbon bridge. Various studies support biomedical benefits of such flavonoids, which neutralize reactive oxygen species, a property which may be utilized in the battle against cancer, type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Production of flavonoids is very high in quantity and variety in sagebrush species. In order to compare the production of flavonoids and other polyphenols, local sagebrush was collected in areas ranging between Highway 95 in Jordan Valley, OR to Council, ID. Sagebrush leaves and inflorescences were collected from species: Artemisia cana ssp. bolanderi, Artemisia arbuscula ssp. arbuscula, Artemisia rigida, Artemisia tridentata ssp. tridentata. Plant specimens were preserved by lyophilization, afterwards polyphenols were extracted using methanol. Analysis employed an optimized High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) separation over a 10-100% gradient of acidified methanol. HPLC profiles at absorbance of 335nm revealed peak differences among species. Comparisons were made among same species from different locations and between different species. Future studies will attempt to identify specific types of flavonoids and other polyphenolics.

Characterization of Flavonoids in Various Species of Artemisia