Planta Med 2011; 77 - PL73
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282722

Phenolic acids and free radical scavenging activity of Bulgarian endemic - Alchemilla jumrukczalica Pawl

MT Nikolova 1, I Dincheva 2, AA Vitkova 1, I Badjakov 2
  • 1Department of Plant and Fungal Diversity and Resources, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 2AgroBioInstitute, Sofia, Bulgaria

In the phytotherapy Alchemilla vulgaris L. complex is widely used as astringent, diuretic, anti-inflammatory agents, characterized by the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes, etc. [1]. Alchemilla jumrukczalica Pawl. is rare plant, unstudied for chemical constituents and biological activity until now.

The present study aims to establish the antiradical potential and phenol content of A. jumrukczalica (cultivated materials) and A. vulgaris complex. The antioxidant activity of the methanol extracts was evaluated by the scavenging effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH.) radicals. The extracts showed significant antiradical activity with IC50 values of 12,09 and 19,62µg/ml respectively for A. jumrukczalica and A. vulgaris complex. Commercial antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and syringic acid were used as positive controls and their IC50 values are respectively 12.65 and 4.40µg/ml.

The methanol extracts of the studied samples were examined before and after acid hydrolysis for free and bounded phenolic acids. Ten free and seventeen bounded phenolic acids were identified and quantified by performed of gas chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS). The extracts of the both samples contain phenolic acids in comparable amounts. Among the identified free phenolic acids gentisic, protocatechuic, salicylic and caffeic acids are represented in the greatest quantity. Salicylic, protocatechuic, caffeic, trans-cinnamic, gentisic and vanilic acids were the major bounded phenolic acids in the studied extracts.

The present study revealed the extract of A. jumrukczalica as potential source of antioxidant activity.

Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful for the financial support provided by the Bulgarian National Science Fund, Ministry of Education, Youth and Science (Project DTK-02/38)

References: 1. Nikolov S (ed.) (2007) Specialized Encyclopedia of the Medicinal Plants in Bulgaria. Publishing House Trud, Sofia