Comparison of the profiles of non-glycosylated triterpenoids from leaves of plants of selected species of genus Dioscorea

Remarkable qualitative and quantitative differences in non-glycosylated triterpenoid profiles of twelve Dioscorea spp. leaves were demonstrated with the use of GC-MS/FID analysis. The total content of tetracyclic triterpenoids and their esters ranged from 397 μg/g of dry leaf weight in D. bulbifera to 762 μg/g d.w. in D. discolor and 777 μg/g d.w in D. alata. Three main phytosterols, i.e. campesterol (1), sitosterol (2) and stigmasterol (3) were found in extracts from all analyzed species in total amount ranging from 316 μg/g in D. bulbifera to 676 μg/g of dry leaf weight in D. hispida, with either sitosterol (2) or stigmasterol (3) as predominant in the profile. Extracts from D. hispida and D. purpurea leaves were distinguished from the others by particular high amount of campesterol (1). In the majority of the species, except for D. caucasica, other tetracyclic triterpenoids were found: cycloartanol (4), 24-methylenecycloartanol (5) and cycloeucalenol (6). Less common steroids, stigmastan-3-en-6β-ol (7) and ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-ol (8) were detected in D. japonica. The significant content (992 μg/g) of pentacyclic triterpenoids of ursane, oleanane, taraxastane and taraxerene (friedooleanane)-type carbon skeletons, i.e. α-amyrin (9), β-amyrin (10), taraxasterol (11) and taraxerol (12), respectively, was found in D. caucasica. The obtained results supplement the knowledge of biochemical diversity of Dioscorea genus

GC-MS analysis of steroids and triterpenoids occurring in leaves and tubers of Tamus edulis Lowe

Tamus edulis Lowe is an endemic perennial plant belonging to Dioscoreaceae family. The plant has long climbing stems, ovate leaves, flowers in spikes, fleshy red berries and long tuberous roots. Young shoots and tuberous roots of T. edulis were used traditionally for nourishment and as a herbal medicine. Leaves and roots analyzed in the present study were collected in the northwest of Madeira island. The GC–MS analysis allowed to detect several steroids in free forms in diethyl ether extracts; and diosgenin with its isomer, yamogenin, in hydrolyzates from methanolic extracts.The obtained results reveal that Tamus edulis has some features common with other Dioscorea species, e.g., the presence of steroidal saponins with diosgenin and yamogenin as aglycones, or the phytosterol composition with predominating sitosterol. However, some other traits, like the relatively high content of free steroids (more than 1 mg/g d.w.) and their profile rich in cholesterol derivatives, can distinguish Tamus edulis from other Dioscorea species studied previously for their steroid and triterpenoid profile.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Plant volatile compounds - structure, biosynthesis and function in environmental interactions

Rośliny syntetyzują i uwalniają do otoczenia różnorodne lotne substancje organiczne. Dla nie mających możliwości przemieszczania się, ukorzenionych w jednym miejscu organizmów wydzielanie lotnych związków daje możliwość wysyłania różnych sygnałów nawet na znaczne odległości. Substancje lotne wydzielane przez kwiaty służą najczęściej jako atraktanty dla zwierząt zapylających, zaś substancje wydzielane z części wegetatywnych służą odstraszaniu patogenów i roślinożerców, przywabianiu wrogów tych roślinożerców, a także przekazaniu sygnału o zagrożeniu do odległych części tej samej rośliny i roślin sąsiadujących. Wydzielane przez rośliny lotne związki tworzą zatem w środowisku niewidoczną, lecz często zadziwiająco skuteczną, sieć wymiany informacji.Plants synthesize and emit to the environment a variety of volatile organic compounds. For these immobile, rooted in one place organisms, the secretion of volatile substances gives the unique possibility of long-distance communication. Floral volatiles serve as attractants to pollinators, whereas the compounds released from vegetative parts can deter pathogens and herbivores, attract the enemies of herbivores and transmit a signal of danger to the distant parts of the infected plant or the neighboring plants. The emitted volatiles create an invisible but very effective net of information exchange in the environment

Analysis of gypsogenin saponins in homeopathic tinctures

A relatively simple and short procedure for the quantitative determination of gypsogenin saponins was performed to evaluate homeopathic tinctures in which those compounds can be regarded as one of the active constituents. This method comprises partial hydrolysis of saponins, subsequent extraction of liberated prosaponin (gypsogenin 3-O-glucuronide) and its analysis by high performance liquid chromatography. Glycyrrhizic acid was used as an internal standard. This method was successfully applied to the analysis of mother tinctures obtained from Saponaria officinalis. Thus, the determination of triterpenoid saponins can be used as a convenient and sufficient method of standardization of selected homeopathic tinctures