DETERMINATION OF CAROTINOID CONTENT IN INFLORESCENCES OF ACHILLEA COLLINA AND ACHILLEA MICRANTHOIDES

Abstract

Introduction. The search for new compounds capable of inhibiting free radical oxidation at various stages of the pathological process is relevant today. Taking into account the prospects of practical use, antioxidants attract special attention. Priority and perspective is the use of natural bioantioxidants as those that have fewer side effects. Common groups of bioantioxidants include fat-soluble endogenous antioxidants – carotenoids, which have pronounced antioxidant properties. The main function of carotenoids in plant cells and the human body is to protect its structures from the damaging effects of free radicals. Given the high biological activity of carotenoids, it is advisable to study promising species of the genus Achillea L. – Achillea collina J. Becker ex Reichenb. and Achillea micrantoides Klok. Et Krytzka, which are widespread in Ukraine, have a long vegetation period, are promising for pharmacognostic and pharmacological study.

The aim of the study – to identify and quantify the content of carotenoids in inflorescences of Achillea collina and Achillea micrantoides harvested in different regions of Ukraine.

Research Methods. Inflorescences of Achillea collina and Achillea micrantoides were the material for the study. Raw materials were collected on the territory of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv regions during the growing season (July – October) in 2019–2020. The qualitative composition of carotenoids was determined by thin layer chromatography (TLC) on plates "Silufol UF-254" ("Avalier", Czech Republic), using the mobile phases – hexane – acetone (95:5), hexane – benzene – acetone (1:1:1) and standard samples of β-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin. To determine the quantitative content of the sum of carotenoids we used the method of UV spectroscopy, measuring the optical density on a spectrophotometer "Specord-200 UV/Vis Lambda 365 (Analytic Jena)" at wavelengths λ=450–479 nm in a cuvette with a layer thickness of 10 mm. Β-carotene and lutein (LGC Standards, England) were used as a reference solution.

Results and Discussion. The TLC method identified substances belonging to carotenoids (substance 1: Rf=0.73, brown in the UV area; substance 2: Rf=0.90, orange in the UV area). The quantitative content of the amount of carotenoids in inflorescences of Achillea collina was in the range of 13.72–16.28 mg %, in inflorescen­ces of Achillea micrantoides – in the range of 15.34–17.22 mg %. The highest quantitative content of the amount of carotenoids was observed in inflorescences of Achillea collina harvested in Henichesk, Kherson region (17.22±2.89) mg %, slightly lower – in inflorescences of Achillea micrantoides harvested in Lozova, Kharkiv region (16.28±2.75) mg %.

Conclusions. Carotenoids were identified by TLC in inflorescences of Achillea collina and Achillea micrantoides. It was found that the quantitative content of the amount of carotenoids in inflorescences of Achillea collina harvested in different regions was in the range of 13.72–16.28 mg %, in inflorescences of Achillea micrantoides – in the range of 15.34–17.22 mg %. Given the presence of carotenoids with antioxidant properties (according to the literature), it is important to further study the raw materials of the genus Achillea in order to create new drugs.