Verbascoside

Verbascoside is a polyphenol glycoside in which the phenylpropanoid caffeic acid and the phenylethanoid hydroxytyrosol form an ester and an ether bond respectively, to the rhamnose part of a disaccharide, namely β-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→3)-β-D-(4-O-caffeoyl)-glucopyranoside.

Occurrences

Natural occurrences

Verbascoside can be found in species in all the families of the order Lamiales (syn. Scrophulariales). Only two examples are known from outside the order, in the clade Asterids.

in the Lamiales

In the family Lamiaceae, it can be found in the medicinal plants in the genus Phlomis, in the Scrophulariaceae, in Verbascum phlomoides, Verbascum mallophorum, or, in the family Buddlejaceae, in Buddleja globosa or Buddleja cordata, in the family Bignoniaceae, in Pithecoctenium sp and Tynanthus panurensis, in the family Orobanchaceae, in Cistanche sp and Orobanche rapum-genistae, in the Plantaginaceae, in Plantago lanceolata, in Verbenaceae, in Verbena officinalis (common vervain), Aloysia citrodora (lemon verbena) and Lantana camara, in the Oleaceae, in Olea europaea (olive), in the Lentibulariaceae, in the carnivorous plant Pinguicula lusitanica, and, in the Byblidaceae, in Byblis liniflora.

Derivatives

Verbascoside derivatives can be found in the Verbascum undulatum and notably apiosides in Verbascum sp.

In in vitro cultures

It can also be produced in plant cell cultures of Leucosceptrum sp (Lamiaceae) and Syringa sp (Oleaceae). It can also be produced in hairy roots cultures of Paulownia tomentosa (empress tree, Paulowniaceae).

Biological activity

Verbascoside has an antimicrobial activity, notably against Staphylococcus aureus. It can also have anti-inflammatory properties.