engleski

Phenolic composition of leaf extracts of four invasive plant species in Istria (Croatia)

Invasive alien plant species are a rich reservoir of specialised metabolites, mainly phenolic compounds. Phenolics have a common origin in the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway and are responsible for numerous protective and antioxidant properties. Here we present the preliminary research results of the Croatian Science Foundation project NATURALLY (IP-2020-02-6899), intending to explore the potential of natural extracts of alien invasive plant species for potential application as phytopharmaceuticals. In our study, we used the method of high-performance liquid chromatography with reversed phases (RP-HPLC) to perform tentative profiling and chemical characterisation of 70 % ethanol leaf extracts of four invasive species: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Helianthus tuberosus L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. and Solidago canadensis L., all included in the list of 70 most invasive plant species in Croatia. Preliminary results of RP-HPLC extracts profiling indicate the phytochemical diversity of analysed species. The most common detected compounds were vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), phenolic acids (gallic, benzoic, chlorogenic, vanillic, caffeic, p-coumaric, synapic, and ferulic acid), and flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin). Vitamin C was detected in all analysed species, with the highest concentration in R. pseudoacacia (2789, 00 mg/kg DW) and the lowest in H. tuberosus (799.96 mg/kg DW). One of the most represented phenolic acids was chlorogenic acid, most abundant in H. tuberosus (11906, 93 mg/kg DW). Synapic acid, however, was detected only in R. pseudoacacia (11, 23 mg/kg DW). Kaempferol stands out with high concentrations among the detected flavonoids, especially in S. canadensis (17173, 56 mg/kg DW). Future research steps will involve extracts fractionation, as well as the comparison of the antioxidant properties of whole extracts and isolated fractions. Obtained results indicate the abundance of bioactive compounds in investigated invasive species and suggest their potential as a source of natural antioxidants in the food industry.

Invasive alien plant species ; specialised metabolites ; RP-HPLC

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