## 2 Results and Discussion
### Phytochemical Investigations
#### 2.1.1 Determination of Polyphenolic Compounds by HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**N\({}^{\rm a}\)** & **tg\({}_{\rm in}\)** & **UV\({}_{\rm max}\)** & **[M - H]\({}^{-}\)** & **[M + H]\({}^{-}\)** & **_Tentative_** & **mfg/g Extract** \\  & **(min)** & **(mm)** & **[M - H]\({}^{-}\)** & **[M + H]\({}^{-}\)** & **_Identification_** & **A** & **B** \\ \hline
**1** & 9.3 & 260 & 299 & - & Hydroxybenzoic acid-hexoside & 6.21 \(\pm\) 1.73 & n.d. \\
**2** & 10.4 & 276 & 359 & - & Syringic acid-hexoside & n.d. & 1.64 \(\pm\) 0.03 \\
**3** & 11.0 & 264, 297 & 418 & - & 4-(methylthio)but-3-enyl glucosinolate & n.q. & n.d. \\
**4** & 11.7 & 293 & 418 & - & 4-(methylthio)but-3-enyl glucosinolate isomer & n.q. & n.d. \\
**5** & 13.8 & 257, 295 & 387 & - & Unknown & n.q. & n.d. \\
**6** & 15.3 & 277 & 325 & - & 5-hydroxeerylo)malmalate & 1.71 \(\pm\) 0.30 & n.d. \\
**7** & 15.5 & 315 & 289 & - & Unknown & n.q. & n.d. \\
**8** & 15.6 & 308 & 413 & - & Unknown & n.d. & n.q. \\
**9** & 16.0 & 232 & 329 & - & Unknown & n.q. & n.d. \\
**10** & 17.6 & 330 & 517 & - & Fentrol-dihexoside & 3.01 \(\pm\) 0.67 & n.d. \\
**11** & 17.9 & 329 & 355 & - & Fentrol acid-dihexoside & 3.23 \(\pm\) 0.78 & n.d. \\
**12** & 19.0 & 330 & 385 & - & StanoylDisposable & 3.91 \(\pm\) 0.72 & n.d. \\
**13** & 19.7 & 269\({}_{\rm w}\) 329 & 437 & - & Unknown & n.d. & n.q. \\
**14** & 200 & 267\({}_{\rm w}\) 314 & 725,433,285 & 995 & Kaempfer derivative & n.d. & 1.82 \(\pm\) 0.01 \\
**15** & 20.2 & 260\({}_{\rm w}\) 328 & 411 & - & Unknown & n.d. & n.q. \\
**16** & 209 & 268\({}_{\rm w}\) 329 & 423,339 & - & Unknown & n.d. & n.q. \\
**17** & 21.2 & 337 & 371 & - & Hydroxyethoxy-hexoside & n.d. & 1.62 \(\pm\) 0.07 \\
**18** & 21.4 & 349 & 755,609,285 & 449 & Kaempfer derivative & 1.93 \(\pm\) 0.36 & n.d. \\
**19** & 21.6 & 269\({}_{\rm w}\) 328 & 595,440,285 & 339 & Kaempfer-dihexoside & n.d. & 10.99 \(\pm\) 0.26 \\
**20** & 21.8 & 269\({}_{\rm w}\) 318 & 739,599,285 & - & Kaempfer-dihexoside & n.d. & 1.32 \(\pm\) 0.15 \\
**21** & 22.5 & 329 & 739,579 & 595 & Sinapoylhydroxy-dihexoside & n.d. & 1.53 \(\pm\) 0.18 \\
**22** & 22.6 & 349 & 741,301 & - & Quereetin derivative & n.d. & 3.03 \(\pm\) 0.37 \\
**23** & 22.8 & 266,307 & 185 & - & Unknown & n.q. & n.d. \\
**24** & 23.0 & 329 & 739,579 & 955 & Sinapoylhydroxy-dihexoside isomer & 4.95 \(\pm\) 1.25 & n.d. \\
**25** & 23.2 & 268\({}_{\rm w}\) 336 & 387 & - & Unknown & n.d. & n.q. \\
**26** & 23.5 & 269\({}_{\rm w}\) 314 & 387 & - & Unknown & n.d. & n.q. \\
**27** & 23.9 & 311 & 251 & - & Unknown & n.d. & n.q. \\
**28** & 24.4 & 266,349 & 725 & 433 & Dihydroxy-hexoside & n.d. & 10.83 \(\pm\) 0.04 \\
**29** & 25.5 & 285,350 & 725 & 433 & Dihydroxy-hexoside isomer & 5.68 \(\pm\) 1.30 & n.d. \\
**30** & 25.6 & 330 & 7585,515,435,285 & - & Kaempfer derivative & n.d. & 11.93 \(\pm\) 0.82 \\
**31** & 26.0 & 353 & 579,303,285 & 449 & Kaempfer-di-trihexoside & 2.74 \(\pm\) 1.79 & n.d. \\
**32** & 26.5 & 266,346 & 458 & - & Unknown & n.q. & n.d. \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1. HPLC-PDA/ESI-MS (negative and positive ionization modes) polyphenic fingerprint of \(M\), _fruitloss_ subsp. _fruitloss_**(A)** and subsp. _crownylthia_**(B)** extracts. Results are expressed as mg/g extract \(\pm\) SD. (\(\pi\) = 3). Comparing the polyphenic profiles of the two subspecies here analyzed with that of the aerial part extract of _M. incana_ subsp. _incana_ previously investigated, substantial qualiquantitative differences were highlighted [2]. Indeed, the total amount of polyphenols detected in the _M. incana_ subsp. _incana_ extract (161.31 mg/g extract) was quite similar to that of _M. frticulosa_ subsp. _fruticulosa_ and about three times higher than that of subsp. _coronopifolia_, with the flavonoids being the most representative group (155.85 mg/g extract), while the two phenolic acids identified (i.e., vanillic and sinapic acids) occurred in small amounts. On the other hand, phenolic acids were contained in greater numbers in the extracts from the two subspecies of _M.