Flavonoid Properties in Plant Families Synthesizing Betalain Pigments (Review).

The anthocyanin pigments are contained in the flowers, fruits, leaves and roots of almost plant species. On the other hand, distribution of the betacyanins are limited in eight families of the order Caryophyllales, i.e. Aizoaceae, Amaranthaceae, Basellaceae, Cactaceae, Didiereaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Phytolaccaceae and Portulacaceae. However, other flavonoids, i.e. flavones, C-glycosylflavones, flavonols, flavanones, dihydroflavonols, chalcones, aurones, and flavan and proanthocyanidins, are synthesized in betalain-containing families. In this review, distribution and properties of the flavonoids in eight betalain-containing families are described.