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CHROMATOGRAFIC DETERMINATION OF SOME SECONDARY METABOLITES IN DROSERA SP

Violeta Niculescu, Nadia Paun, Radu Tamaian

National  R&D Institute of Cryogenics & Isotope Technologies; Uzinei Street no.4; O.P Râureni; P.O.Box 7, Rm.Vâlcea, Code 240050, Romania,, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


ABSTRACT
 
Recent researches revealed the therapeutical potential of natural pigments, such as quinones derivates (antitumoural, antibiotic, antimalaria, anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer) and flavonoids (antibiotic, antioxidant and anticancer).
Quinones are substances whose molecule contains a benzoquinone, naphthoquinone, anthraquinone or phentanthrene nucleus. Flavonoids are C15 compounds all of which have the structure C6-C3-C6. Flavonoids may be grouped into three big classes based on their general structure. In each case, two benzene rings are linked together by a group of three carbons.
Some carnivorous plants, such as Drosera sp., contain two major groups of secondary metabolites which are considered to be very important pharmaceutical substances, naphthoquinones (NQ) and flavonoids (FLAV).
Powdered plant material was extracted with a hydro-alcoholic mixture for 30 minutes at room temperature (with stirring) in order to extract the naphthoquinones. After filtration, the volume was adjusted with a solution of ethanol. Also, mixtures of alcohol and water in different ratios were applied in order to extract the flavonoids and their conjugates from plant tissues. The extraction efficiency was enhanced by the application of ultrasonication.
The HPLC profiles of extracts from Drosera sp. undoubtedly showed the presence both of naphthoquinones and flavonoids. This study resulted in development of a procedure for parallel extraction, identification and quantification of these pigments.
Key words: secondary metabolites, naphthoquinone, flavonoid, Drosera