Differences in the Chemical Composition of Arnica montana Flowers from Wild Populations of North Italy

Abstract

The flower heads of fourteen wild Arnica montana L. populations were collected in the summer of 2010 in the provinces of Trento, Brescia and Bergamo (Italy). The dried flowers were analyzed to assess their chemical diversity. HLPC-MS analysis led to the identification of phenolic derivatives and sesquiterpene lactones in the samples, confirming literature data. Quali-quantitative analysis of the flower heads showed similar qualitative patterns both for the phenolic as well as sesquiterpene lactone derivatives, while significant variability was obtained in the amounts (HPLC-DAD) of sesquiterpene lactones (0.45–2.31%), phenolic acids (1.44–2.88%) and flavonoids (0.96–2.44%). The highest quantities of sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids and phenolic acids were found in Malga Fregasoga (1703 m above sea level), Rifugio Camini (1608 m a.s.l.) and Malga Sass (1817 m a.s.l.) samples, respectively.

Ecophysiological and phytochemical characterization of wild populations of Inula montana L. (Asteraceae) in Southeastern France

“…The present study shows that growing habitats that induce plant stress, particularly drought stress, can significantly enhance the production of sesquiterpene lactones by I. montana. Similar approaches have been conducted with A. montana (Spitaler et al, 2006;Perry et al, 2009;Clauser et al, 2014) and have provided valuable information and cultivation guidelines that helped with its domestication (Jurkiewicz et al, 2010;Sugier et al, 2013). Appropriate cultivation techniques driven by the ecophysiological study of A. montana have succeeded in influencing its sesquiterpene lactone content for medicinal use (Todorova et al, 2016).…”

Chemical Characteristics and Anticancer Activity of Essential Oil from Arnica Montana L. Rhizomes and Roots

“…In the present study, oxygenated monoterpenes were the most abundant group (65.61%, 67.89%, 66.67%, 65,75%), followed by phenyls (24.13%, 24.43%, 25.97%, 27.84%), sesquiterpenes (4.67%, 6.11%, 3.03%, 4.04%), and monoterpenes (2.05%, 0.87%, 0.95%, 0.49%) in the EO-RH3, EO-RH4, EO-RO3, and EO-RO4 samples, respectively (Table 1). However, EOs obtained from Arnica flower heads were dominated by sesquiterpenes (over 60%) [8,9,15,18,21,40]. The main components in the EOs from the analyzed Arnica rhizomes and roots were 2,5-dimethoxy-p-cymene (46.47%, 56.42%, 60.31%, 60.23%), 2,6-diisopropylanisole (14.48%, 19.78%, 17.41%, 23.10%), thymol methyl ether (17.79%, 9.18%, 5.31%, 3.87%), p-methoxyheptanophenone (9.65%, 6.19%, 7.02%, 5.07%), and α-isocomene (1.05%, 0.68%, 2.87%, 1.36% in EO-RH3, EO-RH4, EO-RO3, and EO-RO4, respectively.…”

Evaluation of species inter-relations and soil conditions in Arnica montana L. habitats: a step towards active protection of endangered and high-valued medicinal plant species in NE Poland

“…Moreover, arnica is a source of research material. Differences in the chemical composition of A. montana flowers obtained from different accessions are analyzed along the geographical gradient [31,32,36] and altitude [37,38]. A result of breeding work based on natural populations is the Arbo variety [39], which is successfully cultivated in Europe and New Zealand [40] and has been used in experimental studies [41].…”

“…A result of breeding work based on natural populations is the Arbo variety [39], which is successfully cultivated in Europe and New Zealand [40] and has been used in experimental studies [41]. In the last decade, arnica genotypes taken from natural sites and from gardens and collections have been the subject of various studies on agricultural factors that determine and modify the yield and composition of secondary metabolites [33,38,[42][43][44]. For the protection of plant species, characterization of soil conditions is necessary but is a frequently omitted element.…”