Young herbaceous legumes – a natural reserve of bioactive compounds and antioxidants for healthy food and supplements

Young plants of clover (Trifolium pratense L. and T. medium L.), medick (Medicago sativa L. and M. lupulina L.), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) and milkvetch (Astragalus glycyphyllos L. and A. cicer L.), were investigated for total contents of phenolics, flavonoids, isoflavones, condensed tannins and triterpene saponins as well as their extracts for antiradical and ferrous ion chelating activity. The impact of two sample drying methods on the aforementioned characters was compared. The phytochemical concentrations were higher in the freeze-dried legumes; however, antioxidant activities were generally higher of oven-dried samples. Both the composition of health promoting phytochemicals and antioxidant properties were strongly species-dependent. Among the species tested, Trifolium spp. were most abundant in isoflavones, Medicago spp. – in saponins and O. viciifolia – in tannins. Plants of T. medium and O. viciifolia were rich in TPC. The extracts of T. pratense, O. viciifolia and A. cicer possessed significant antiradical activity; the extracts from Astragalus spp. proved to be promising chelators of ferrous ion. We concluded that young perennial legumes could be considered as potential candidates for the development of nutraceuticals and functional food ingredients to accommodate the need for a particular bioactive component or property

Identification of flavonoids in the flowers and leaves of Monarda didyma L

Monarda didyma L. is a herbaceous perennial with the square stems and opposite leaves characteristic of herbs in the Labiate family. Monarda didyma L. is often used as a domestic medicine, being particularly useful in the treatment of digestive disorders. The leaves and flowering stems are antihelmintic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, rubefacient and stimulant. Monarda didyma L. has twenty-six compounds in the essential oil, of which thymol, with smaller amounts of para-cymene, d-limonene, carvacrol, linalool, and hydrothymoquinone. A new method was used for the determining of the amount of separate flavonols by high-performance liquid chromatography. The flavonoids (rutin, hyperoside, quercitrin, luteolin, quercetin) were found in leaves and flowers of beebalm. The quantity of flavonoids was higher in flowers than in leaves of Monarda didyma L

Identification of flavonoids in the flowers and leaves of Monarda didyma L

Monarda didyma L. is a herbaceous perennial with the square stems and opposite leaves characteristic of herbs in the Labiate family. Monarda didyma L. is often used as a domestic medicine, being particularly useful in the treatment of digestive disorders. The leaves and flowering stems are antihelmintic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, rubefacient and stimulant. Monarda didyma L. has twenty-six compounds in the essential oil, of which thymol, with smaller amounts of para-cymene, d-limonene, carvacrol, linalool, and hydrothymoquinone. A new method was used for the determining of the amount of separate flavonols by high-performance liquid chromatography. The flavonoids (rutin, hyperoside, quercitrin, luteolin, quercetin) were found in leaves and flowers of beebalm. The quantity of flavonoids was higher in flowers than in leaves of Monarda didyma L

Mineral and Phytochemical Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Herbal Material from Two Temperate Astragalus Species

Only a few species of the large Astragalus genus, widely used for medicinal purposes, have been thoroughly studied for phytochemical composition. The aim of our research was to investigate the rarely studied species A. glycyphyllos L. and A. cicer L. for the distribution of mineral elements and phytochemicals in whole plants at two growth stages and in morphological fractions. We also investigated the capacity of the plant extracts to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and to chelate ferrous ions. Chemical composition and antioxidant properties depended on species, maturity, and plant part. Herbal material of A. glycyphyllos was richer in Fe, total phenolics, and flavonoids, whereas extracts of A. cicer showed a higher antioxidant activity. Young plants had more isoflavones, showed greater quenching of DPPH radicals, and exhibited better mineral profiles than flowering plants. Among plant parts, leaves were the most valuable plant material according to most characteristics investigated. Isoflavone concentration in flowers was lower than in leaves and stems. None of the Astragalus samples contained detectable amounts of the alkaloid swainsonine. The study demonstrates the potential of plant material from two Astragalus species as a valuable source of iron, phenolic substances including isoflavones, free-radical scavengers, and Fe2+ chelators for pharmaceutical use

The analysis of quality and antioxidant activity of green tea extracts

The aim of the research was to analyze the composition of biologically active compounds, to determine the correlation between the concentration of biologically active compounds and antioxidant activity, the dependence of extractive compounds on the extraction time, the quality of different tea preparation forms (daily tea, infusions, decoctions) of those teas found in Lithuanian market. Four specimens of green tea from different regions of the world have been chosen as the object of analysis. Quality criteria’s have been analyzed by using gravimetric and spectrophotometric methods. Detailed analysis has been performed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique. With reference to analysis results it can be stated that in the aspect of relation to antioxidant activity/phenolic compounds, the teas with highest numbers in these dimensions were those from China region. The least numbers in antioxidant activity, dry residue and phenolic compounds were of teas from Sri Lanka. We tested the hypothesis that all green teas have phenolic compounds as their biological active compounds and because of this group of active compounds they distinguish antioxidant activity. The study gave strong evidence that green tea as a daily preparation and as well as pharmaceutical form (infusions, decoctions, capsules of green tea extract) may be used as preventive measures for cancerogenous processes, prostate cancer, renal or liver diseases because of it’s antioxidant and free radical binding propertiesLietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteta