Study of Citrus taitensis and radical scavenger activity of the flavonoids isolated

The GC-MS study of the head space volatiles of Citrus taitensis Risso revealed that the main component, constituting 60% of the oil, is linalool. Three N-containing compounds, benzyl cyanide, indole and methyl anthranilate, constituted a considerable additional percentage of the volatiles (16.9%). Investigation of the flavonoids indicated that the two major components were dihydrorobinetin and genistein. Both compounds give a high percentage inhibition of the chemiluminescence in polymorphonuclear cells stimulated by N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, but a much lower inhibition with stimulation by opsonized zymosan.