Biologically Active Substances of Certain Plants of Asteracea Family

Abstract

The content of biologically active substances and antioxidant activity in leaves and inflorescences of three species from the tribe Cynareae of the Asteraceae family: Centaurea cyanus,Centaurea macrocephala, Rhaponticum carthamoides, grown under the conditions of the Central Siberian Botanical Garden introduction was studied. It was determined that leaves and inflorescences contain flavonols, catechins, tannins, carotenoids, pectin substances. The highest level of tannins (up to 27.7%) in leaves and flavonols in leaves and inflorescences (up to 4.93 %) was found in plants of R. carthamoides. High content of catechins (up to 140.2 mg%) was found in leaves and inflorescences of C. macrocephala. Carotenoids are mainly accumulated in leaves of R. carthamoides (51.73 mg%) and inflorescences of C. macrocephala (11.86 mg%). The highest content of pectins was noted in leaves and inflorescences of C. cyanus (1.7% and 2.6%), protopectins - in leaves (up to 10.54 %). The highest antioxidant activity (0.72 мг/г) and anti-radical activity (IC50=0.58–0.77 мг/г) were recorded for water-ethanol extracts from leaves and inflorescences of C. macrocephala. Water-ethanol extracts of C. cyanus exhibited low antiradical activity (IC50=4.43–8.13 mg/g).