27 August 2015, 10p
in press
Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Gdansk, Gen. J. Hallera 107, Gdansk, Poland
Abstract
The aim of this
research was to compare chemical composition of herbs acquired from
different European countries. The concentrations of P, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu,
phenolic compounds, and the antioxidant activity were determined in
infusions of 27 medicinal herbs (7 species) from Lithuania, Serbia, Italy, and Portugal.
Total and extractable P were expressed in milligrams per liter and
metals in micrograms per liter and followed the sequence: Fe > Mn
> Zn > Cu, while antioxidant activity ranged from 29.4 to 217.8 mg
of Trolox equivalent (TE) per liter. Total flavonoids were in the range
of 20.5–95.1 mg L−1. The rank order of phenolic compounds assayed by HPLC method (in mg L−1
of infusion) was as follows: rutin > myricetin > quercetin >
kaempferol, and chlorogenic > ferulic > p-coumaric > caffeic
> gallic acids. Significant correlations were found between total
P–inorganic phosphate P, Zn–Mn, Mn–Cu, total flavonoids–antioxidant
activity, and quercetin with caffeic and ferulic acids. Generally, medicinal plant infusions differed in their chemical composition, strongly depending on plant
species, regardless of the origin from distant geographical areas of
Europe. Principal component analysis selected the concentrations of Cu,
Mn, total and inorganic phosphate P, as factors which strongly influence
differentiation of the samples. Moreover, infusions from Hyperici herba
and Helichrysi inflorescentia contained significant amounts of
water-extractable Mn and Fe forms as claimed by the Dietary Reference
Intakes for humans. © 2015 The Author(s)
Author keywords
Antioxidant activity; Essential elements; Medicinal herbs; Phenolic compounds; Statistical methods
ISSN: 01634984
CODEN: BTERDSource Type: Journal
Original language: English
DOI: 10.1007/s12011-015-0481-6Document Type: Article in Press
Publisher: Humana Press Inc.
