Phytochemical study of Helleborusodorus subsp. cyclophyllus (Ranunculaceae)

Interest in the genus Helleborus (Ranunculaceae), has recently increased because it is a known source of metabolites which are considered as promising remedies for severe diseases such as cancer and diabetes [1]. The genus comprises around 20 species. In the current study, extracts of the leaves and roots of H. odorussubp. cyclophyllus were examined for their chemical substitutes. So far, ten secondary metabolites were isolated by chromatographic methods (V.L.C, C.C, HPLC) and identified by using spectroscopic methods (MS and NMR):two phenolic acids: 2-O-feruloyl-L-malate (1) and 8-O-Glucose-hydroxy tyrosol (2), two ecdysteroids: 5β-hydroxy-ecdysterone (Polypodine B) (3) and 20-hydroxy-ecdyson (4), two bufadienolides: 5β,14β-dihydroxy-19-oxo-3β-[(α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)oxy]bufa-20,22-dienolide (deglucohellebrin)(5) and (3β,5β)-3-[(6-Deoxy-4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-α-L-mannopyranosyl)oxy]-5,14-dihydroxy-19-oxo-bufa-20,22-dienolide(hellebrin) (6), two furostanol saponins: furosta-5,20(22),25(27)-triene-1β,3β,11α,26-tetrol 26-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (Caucasicoside A) (7) and Helleboroside B (8), as well as Uridine (9) and 2-deoxy-D-ribono-1,4-lactone(10). It is the first time that compounds (1), (2), (9) and (10) are reported in the genus Helleborus.

Acknowledgements: Haralambos Katerinopoulos is acknowledged for his contribution in this research.

Keywords: Ranunculaceae, furostanols, phenolic acid, ecdysteroid, bufadienolide, HPLC.

References:

[1] Maior MC, Dobrotă C. Natural compounds with important medical potential found in Helleborus sp. Cent Eur J Biol 2013; 8: 272 – 285