Planta Med 2007; 73 - P_541
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-987321

Variation in the chemical constituents and antioxydant activity in Stachys species

E Háznagy-Radnai 1, S Czigle 3, K Veres 1, I Zupko 2, L Bezáková 4, G Janicsák 5, E Tóth 5, G Falkay 2, I Máthé 1, 5
  • 1Department of Pharmacognosy
  • 2Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Szeged, Eötvös Str. 6, Szeged H-6720
  • 3Department of Pharmacognosy and Botany
  • 4Department of Cell and Molecular Biology of Drugs, Comenius University, Odbojárov 10, SK-832 32, Bratislava 3, Slovakia
  • 5Institute of Ecology and Botany of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Vácrátót, H-2163 Vácrátót, Hungary

Chemical differences of volatile and non-volatile fractions of Stachys officinalis, S. grandiflora, S. recta, S. annua, S. macrantha, S. sylvatica, S. germanica, S. byzantina, S. palustris samples of different origin and time of harvest are studied together with their antioxidant activities.

Plants were grown in Vácratót (Hungary) from seeds, obtained by botanical garden seed exchange programme. The steam distilled volatile oils, gained from the air-dried samples according to Ph.Hg VIII., were analysed with GC/FID (HP 5890 series II) and GC/MS (Finnigan GCQ) gas chromatographs [1]. The non-volatile (MeOH) fractions, after flesh column chromatograpy, were analysed by TLC/densitometry (Shimadzu CS-9301 PC) and HPLC (Shimadzu LC-10AS) for iridoids and for the derivatives of caffeic acid [2]. The total flavonoid, and polyphenol content (Ph.Eur.4.) and the enzyme-independent lipid-peroxidation using ox-brain homogenates [3] and in separate experiments anti-lipoxygenase activity, applying LOX obtained from rat lung were measured.

In the volatile fractions of 27–73 identified components, the monoterpenoids (dominated by linalool) were in smaller concentration present than the sesquiterpenoids with β-caryophyllene in all samples. Acetyl harpagid, harpagid were ubiquitous in iridoid fractions, expect those from S. annua, it contained no iridoids. Volatile components varied mainly in their composition, while the iridoids in their quantity. Caffeic and rosmarinic acids were measured in low concentration. Correlation between effectiveness and the total phenolic content could only be justified. S. sylvatic, S. recta and S. officinalis extracts proved to be of more effective antioxidants than the control α-tocopherol succinat and ascorbic acid.

Acknowledgement: The authors are thankful for the financial support of OTKA T 43148 and APVVV-51–017905 Hungarian and Slovak Natonal Grants

References: [1] Radnai E., et al. (2003) Acta Horticulturae 597: 137–142. [2] E. Háznagy-Radnai, et al. (2005) J. Planar Chromat. (JPC) 18: 314–318. [3] E. Háznagy-Radnai, et al. (2006) Fitoterapia 77: 521–524.