Planta Med 2010; 76 - P093
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1264391

Hypericum species in Estonian folk traditions and in local scientific studies

A Raal 1, R Soukand 2, K Nagel 1
  • 1University of Tartu, Department of Pharmacy, Nooruse 1, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
  • 2Estonian Literary Museum, Vanemuise 42, 51003 Tartu, Estonia

Both Hypericum perforatum and H. maculatum are common species throughout Estonia and neighbouring countries. The study used folklore texts from the HERBA (1) database collected between 1868–1994 on medicinal plants in Estonia. 117 texts describing 137 usage cases of plants bearing vernacular names related to naistepuna [Hypericum in Estonian, direct translation – women's red] were selected and analyzed using textological methods. Almost 30% of the usage cases were related to gynecological problems (as the name implies), followed by 14% for stomach problems, 10% for bladder and kidney problems and 5% each for stomachache caused by overexertion, skin diseases and pain. Although altogether 8 species belonging to 7 genera or even families bore such vernacular names in different places, the most frequently used plants were two species of genus Hypericum. Those two externally very similar species were not distinguished by ordinary people and were used in folk medicine as one. The content of hypericin (2) and total flavonoids before (3) and after (4) hydrolysis of glucosides was determined spectrophotometrically in both Hypericum species. The standard deviations of these methods did not exceed 0.5%, 8.7% and 5.4%, respectively (n=4). The flowering tops (15cm) and flowers in three different blooming stages (at the beginning of blooming, in full bloom and at the end of blooming) of H. perforatum and H. maculatum, collected in 2008 from South-Estonia (Antsla parish), were used as plant material. H. maculatum contained about a 2.5 times more hypericin (141–228mg%) than H. perforatum (75–81mg%). The amount of hypericin detected was higher in the flowers and lower in the flowering tops of both analyzed Hypericum species, but the comparative analysis of H. perforatum ja H. maculatum showed no similar tendencies for flavonoid content. Both species contained practically the same amount of total flavonoids (5,6–6,2% and 4,6–6,0%, respectively), but H. perforatum contained somewhat more flavonoid aglycones (1,1–2,0%) than H. maculatum (0,7–1,5%). It is necessary to continue this work.

References: 1. Sõukand, R., Kalle, R. (2008) HERBA: Historical Estonian Folkmedical Herbal Database – http://herba.folklore.ee.

2. Ceskoslovensky lékopis (1987), vol. 4. Avicenum, Praha.

3. U.S.S.R. Pharmacopoeia (1987), vol. 11. Meditsina, Moscow [in Russian].

4. Georgijevski, V.P. et al. (1990) Hayka, Novosibirsk [in Russian].