Identification of catechin derivatives in the flowers of Camellia japonica

Catechin derivatives are compounds belonging to the flavanol family. They possess activities described in the literature that may be of interest for personal care products, such as anti-inflammatory or antioxidant properties [ 1 ]. While they are fairly well described in Camellia sinensis , this class of compounds is much less studies in other species of the genus Camellia . In particular, few documents mention the presence of procyanidins in Camellia japonica , but to our knowledge, none offers a validated identification at the molecular level. In this study, chemical identification has been undertaken on procyanidins, condensed tannins of catechin and epicatechin, present in the flowers of Camellia japonica. Analyses were conducted using various analytical methods such as liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with diode array detector and evaporative light scattering detector (DAD-ELSD), or Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), as well as flash chromatography and preparative chromatography. Finally, in addition to catechin and epicatechin, 5 procyanidins were identified at level 1 (validated identification according to classification used by the Center for Innovative Technology) and 13 at level 2 (putative identification), including 12 compounds cited for the first time in Camellia japonica flowers. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany