Research of carbohydrates from great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis L.) rhizomes with roots and herb

Abstract

Introduction. Great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis L.) – is a perennial plant in the rose family (Rosaceae). Herb, collected during flowering period, and rhizomes with roots, collected in autumn when the above-ground part begins to fade, are used with medical purposes. Great burnet has been used in folk medicine for a long time as astringent, anti–inflammatory, pain–relieving and hemostatic agent.
It is reasonable to study qualitative and quantitative content of carbohydrates from great burnet rhizomes with  roots and herb since carbohydrates, in addition to the important functional significance and specific pharmacological activity, affect the development of the total pharmacological effect of drugs.

The aim of the study – to determine, extract and study the polysaccharides of the underground organs and the herb of great burnet, as well as analysis of their monosaccharide composition.

Research Methods. Objects of the analysis were great burnet rhizomes with roots and herb collected on research plots of academic and recreation centre “Chervona Kalyna” of I. Horbachevsky Ternopil State Medical University, (Druzhba village, Ternopil region). For the identification of polysaccharides water extracts were prepared. Quantitative content of water-soluble polysaccharides and pectin substances was determined using gravimetric method. Determination of the presence and content of monosaccharides and sucrose was conducted by gas chromatography coupled to mass-spectrometry.

Results and discussion. The results of the studies confirmed the presence of polysaccharides in aqueous extracts from the herb and underground organs of the great burnet. It was set that in the great burnet herb the content of pectin substances was higher (8.75 %); and in rhizomes and roots – the higher content was for water soluble polysaccharides (7.35 %). In the composition of the polysaccharide complexes of rhizomes and roots of great burnet the presence and content of 15 monosaccharides after acid hydrolysis was set and 8 were identified; 7 components out of 16 free sugars were identified – arabinose, mannose, glucose, fructose, inositol and mannitol and disaccharide – sucrose. In the composition of the polysaccharide complexes of the great burnet herb the presence and content of 16 monosaccharides after acid hydrolysis was set and 9 were identified; 5 components out of 12 free sugars were identified – mannose, glucose, fructose, inositol and disaccharide – sucrose. Among the monosaccharides in the analyzed objects glucose formed after acid hydrolysis dominates, the highest content was observed in the herb – 29.96 mg/g. The maximum content of free glucose was in the great burnet rhizomes and roots (18.55 mg/g). Content of sucrose in both investigated objects was almost identical (48.23 mg/g in the rhizomes and roots, and 49.87 mg/gin the herb).

Conclusions. An analysis of the results of the research shows high content of water-soluble polysaccharides in S. officinalis rhizomes and roots and pectin substances in S. officinalis herb. The composition of sugars in investigated objects is characterized by the predominance in the quantitative ratio of monosaccharide glucose and disaccharide sucrose. The investigated plant is promising for use in medical practice and requires an extended phytochemical and pharmacological analysis.