Differentiation of Pelargonium Sidoides and P. Reniforme through a NMR- Based Chemometric Approach

J Zhao; A Viljoen; IA Khan

doi:10.1055/s-0033-1348786

Planta Medica, Table of Contents

Differentiation of Pelargonium Sidoides and P. Reniforme through a NMR- Based Chemometric Approach

J Zhao ¹, A Viljoen ³, IA Khan ¹^,²

¹National Center for Natural Products Research
²Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
³Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

Abstract

Pelargonium sidoides DC and P. reniforme Curt (Geraniaceae) are indigenous to South Africa where they are widely distributed along coastal and central regions. Their roots have been used as herbal medicines for centuries. The extract from the roots of P. sidoides has been developed and commercialized as an herbal drug (EPs 7630/Umckloabo®) for the treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections. P. sidoides and P. reniforme can only be distinguished by the shape of leaves and the color of flowers which becomes problematic when the plants die back in autumn. The root material of P. sidoides is often adulterated with P. reniforme and although the Pharmacopeia accepts both species they have not been shown to be equipotent. In the present study, the root samples of P. sidoides (n = 90) and P. reniforme (n = 44) collected from 23 different locations in South Africa were investigated for their differences in the metabolite expression by using NMR profiling and chemometric analysis. Metabolite differences between the two species, as well as the metabolite variations among the samples of the same species were revealed. P. sidoides has higher levels of total coumarins and the quantitative difference in umckalin is a convenient biomarker to distinguish between the two taxa.