Determining the Amount of Phenylpropanoids in Belowground Organs of Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench., Asteraceae)

От эхинацеи пурпурной получают виды лекарственного растительного сырья: траву свежую и высушенную, корневища с корнями. В них содержится сумма фенилпропаноидов (ранее «оксикоричные кислоты», «гидроксикоричные кислоты») и их производные, обеспечивающие иммуностимулирующий эффект препаратов, основным из которых является настойка. Накопление суммы фенилпропаноидов в корневищах с корнями эхинацеи наименее изучено. Цель – изучение влияния сроков и кратности удаления надземной части на содержание суммы фенилпропаноидов в корневищах с корнями эхинацеи, полученных от растений разных возрастов при культивировании, а также определение содержания изучаемых веществ в настойке при разной степени измельчения сырья. Исследованы корневища с корнями эхинацеи пурпурной, заготовленные в Москве в 2008–2010 гг. в фазу окончания вегетации растений 2-го, 3-го, 4-го, 5-го, 7-го гг. развития. Побеги скашивали в фазы стеблевания (однократно и многократно в течение вегетации), бутонизации, цветения. Контроль – получение сырья без удаления надземной части. В 2008–2009 гг. наибольшее накопление суммы фенилпропаноидов в подземных органах наблюдали при многократном и однократном скашивании побегов в период стеблевания, независимо от возраста растений. Удаление побегов в фазах бутонизации и цветения привело к значительному снижению содержания суммы фенилпропаноидов. В июле-августе 2010 г. в регионе была засуха. Наименьшее содержание изучаемых веществ в сырье отмечено при многократном удалении побегов. В лучшем положении оказалось сырье растений, у которых надземную массу срезали однократно в фазу стеблевания. При сравнении растений разных возрастов установлено, что в сырье растений 2–4 гг. вегетации накопление веществ, независимо от срока удаления надземной части и года проведения опыта, достоверно выше, чем в сырье от растений старших возрастов. Рекомендовано дополнить «Агрорекомендацию по возделыванию эхинацеи пурпурной» при выращивании для получения корневищ с корнями агроприемом многократного скашивания надземной части в фенологической фазе стеблевания. Влияние размера частиц измельченного сырья (от 0,25 мм до 1,0 мм) на содержание биологически активных веществ в настойке не наблюдалосьEchinacea purpurea (L.) Moench plants serve as a source of medicinal raw materials: fresh and dried aboveground parts and rhizomes with roots (Rhizomata cum radicibus). They contain total phenylpropanoids (formerly “oxycinnamic acids”, “hydroxycinnamic acids”) and their derivatives, which underlie the immunostimulatory effect of the preparations. Tincture is the most common preparation. Accumulation of total phenylpropanoid derivatives in Echinacea rhizomes with roots is the least studied aspect. The purpose of the present work is to study the effect of the timing and frequency of removal of the aboveground part on total phenylpropanoids in Echinacea rhizomes with roots collected from cultivated plants of different ages. Another aim was to determine total phenylpropanoids in the tincture prepared from raw material ground to various degrees. Echinacea purpurea rhizomes with roots harvested in Moscow in 2008–2010, at the end of the growing period of plants aged 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 years, were studied. The shoots were cut down during the stem formation (by single and repeated mowing during the growing period), budding, and flowering stages. The intact raw material was used to provide control samples. In 2008–2009, the highest accumulation of phenylpropanoid derivatives in rhizomes with roots was observed in groups with both repeated and single shoot removals performed during the shoot development stage at all plant ages. The shoot removals during the budding and flowering stages resulted in a significant reduction in phenylpropanoids. During the regional drought in July and August 2010, the raw material samples in the group with repeated shoot removals demonstrated the lowest accumulation of phenylpropanoids. The samples in the group with single shoot removal during the shoot development stage showed greater phenylpropanoid accumulation compared with the repeated mowing group. The content of phenylpropanoids in raw material from 2–4-year-old plants, regardless of the period of shoot removal and the year of the experiment, was significantly higher than in the raw material from older plants. It is recommended to supplement the “Agro-recommendation for the cultivation of Echinacea purpurea” with the agricultural method of repeated mowing of the aboveground part in the phenological phase of shoot development when the plant is grown as a source of rhizomes with roots. No effect of the particle size of the ground raw material (from 0.25 to 1.0 mm) on total phenylpropanoids in the tincture has been reveale

Isorhamnetin and Quercetin Derivatives as Anti-Acetylcholinesterase Principles of Marigold (Calendula officinalis) Flowers and Preparations

Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) is one of the most common and widespread plants used medicinally all over the world. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of marigold flowers, detect the compounds responsible and perform chemical analysis of marigold commercial products. Analysis of 23 varieties of C. officinalis flowers introduced into Siberia allowed us to select the Greenheart Orange variety due to the superior content of flavonoids (46.87 mg/g) and the highest inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (IC50 63.52 µg/mL). Flavonoids, isorhamnetin and quercetin derivatives were revealed as potential inhibitors with the application of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) activity-based profiling. Investigation of the inhibitory activity of isorhamnetin glycosides demonstrated the maximal potency for isorhamnetin-3-О-(2′′,6′′-di-acetyl)-glucoside (IC50 51.26 μM) and minimal potency for typhaneoside (isorhamnetin-3-O-(2′′,6′′-di-rhamnosyl)-glucoside; IC50 94.92 µM). Among quercetin derivatives, the most active compound was quercetin-3-О-(2′′,6′′-di-acetyl)-glucoside (IC50 36.47 µM), and the least active component was manghaslin (quercetin-3-O-(2′′,6′′-di-rhamnosyl)-glucoside; IC50 94.92 µM). Some structure-activity relationships were discussed. Analysis of commercial marigold formulations revealed a reduced flavonoid content (from 7.18–19.85 mg/g) compared with introduced varieties. Liquid extract was the most enriched preparation, characterized by 3.10 mg/mL of total flavonoid content, and infusion was the least enriched formulation (0.41 mg/mL). The presented results suggest that isorhamnetin and quercetin and its glycosides can be considered as potential anti-acetylcholinesterase agents

Effect of Low Temperature Cultivation on the Phytochemical Profile and Bioactivity of Arctic Plants: A Case of Dracocephalum palmatum

The influence of climatic factors, e.g., low temperature, on the phytochemical composition and bioactivity of the arctic plant Dracocephalum palmatum Steph. ax Willd. (palmate dragonhead), a traditional food and medical herb of Northern Siberia, was investigated. D. palmatum seedlings were grown in a greenhouse experiment at normal (20 °C, NT) and low (1 °C, LT) temperature levels and five groups of components that were lipophilic and hydrophilic in nature were characterized. The analyses indicated that D. palmatum under NT demonstrates high content of photosynthetic pigments, specific fatty acid (FA) profile with domination of saturated FA (53.3%) and the essential oil with trans-pinocamphone as a main component (37.9%). Phenolic compounds were identified using a combination of high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection and electrospray ionization mass-spectrometric detection (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS) techniques, as well as free carbohydrates and water soluble polysaccharides. For the first time, it was established that the cold acclimation of D. palmatum seedlings resulted in various changes in physiological and biochemical parameters such as membrane permeability, photosynthetic potential, membrane fluidity, leaf surface secretory function, reactive oxygen species–antioxidant balance, osmoregulator content and cell wall polymers. In brief, results showed that the adaptive strategy of D. palmatum under LT was realized on the accumulation of membrane or surface components with more fluid properties (unsaturated FA and essential oils), antioxidants (phenolic compounds and enzymes), osmoprotectants (free sugars) and cell wall components (polysaccharides). In addition, the occurrence of unusual flavonoids including two new isomeric malonyl esters of eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside was found in LT samples. Data thus obtained allow improving our understanding of ecophysiological mechanisms of cold adaptation of arctic plants