Flavonoids and condensed tannins in leaves, stems and thorns of A. spinosa L. Skeels using histolocalisation and thin layer chromatography

Histochemical techniques and Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) were used to analyse flavonoids and condensed tannins and to locate these molecules in the leaves, the stems, and the thorns of Arganiaspinosa (L.) Skeels. Histolocalisation ofthe flavonoidsin situwere detected using Neu's reagent and the condensed tannins by using DMCA reagent.TLC were used to identify the individual groups of the compounds. The histochemical studies of the different parts of A. spinosa have shown a high concentration of myricetin derivatives in the peripheral tissues particularly in epidermis while condensed tannins were mainly deposited in the cortex and palisade mesophyll. Four flavonol glycosides were found to be good biomarkers for this species. The high levels of phenolic compounds and their localisation may explain the tree adaptation to the difficult conditions of its arid area