Comparative phytochemical analysis of alchemilla vulgaris herb infusion and alchemilla mollis herb infusion

Abstract

The research data revealed the existence of various pharmacological effects of Alchemilla vulgaris herb infusions and confirmed the prospects of introducing these infusions into medical practice. Biologically active substances (BAS) in the Alchemilla herb are of high variability, which adversely affects the phytochemical composition of the infusion and its pharmacological properties. The expansion of the raw material base of Alchemilla is possible due to Alchemilla mollis, which is a micro-specie with a stable chemical composition. Objective: a comparative analysis of the phytochemical composition of infusions of A. mollis and A. vulgaris herbs to assess the possibility of expanding the raw material base of the aerial part due to the cultivated micro-specie A. mollis. Materials and Methods. The objects of the study are A. vulgaris herb infusion (AVI) and A. mollis herb infusion (AMI). The harvesting of raw materials was being produced during the period of mass flowering from cultivated Alchemilla mollis (Buuser) Rothm and wild-growing Alchemilla vulgaris L. s. I. Preliminary qualitative analysis was performed by conventional methods. The content of tannins, polysaccharides, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids were quantified. Results. A preliminary qualitative analysis showed the similarity of the studied infusions, including the presence of phenolic compounds, markers of the genus Alchemilla (caffeic acid, luteolin and quercetin derivatives). The peculiarity of AMI is the predominant content of condensed tannins, which is consistent with the data on the accumulation of this group of biologically active substances in A. mollis herb. Significant higher amounts of tannins (p<0.05) and ascorbic acid (p<0.05) were found in BAS; no differences were found in the amount of polysaccharides and flavonoids. Conclusion. The conducted study indicates the similarity of the chemical composition of the studied infusions, which allows the use of AMI similarly to AVI, and A. mollis herb to expand the raw material base of the herb.