Dynamics of Accumulation of Biologically Active Substances in Hyssopus Officinalis L. Plants Grown in the Foothill Zone of Crimea

Abstract

Hyssopus officinalis L. is a promising essential oil plant of complex use containing various types of biologically active substances (BAS). The purpose of the research was twofold: study the features of accumulation of various types of BAS in H. officinalis plants grown in the foothill zone of the Crimea; assess the possibility to use them in perfumery, cosmetics, food industry, pharmacy and medicine. The research was conducted in 2017–2019 in the FSBSI “Research Institute of Agriculture of Crimea”. The raw materials of H. officinalis (population with blue flowers) grown without irrigation served as the research material. Qualitative and quantitative characteristics of raw materials and different types of BAS were determined according to generally accepted methods. Structural analysis of H. officinalis showed that the aboveground part of plants during the growing season had the following fractional composition: leaves (21.4–70.6 %), stems (18.8–30.9 %), inflorescences (22.0−59.1 %). The ratio of fractions by phases of vegetation varied, namely: in the phase of regrowth, leaves prevailed – 70.6 % but, at the end of the flowering, their content decreased to 21.4 %; the content of inflorescences reached its maximum in the phases of mass flowering and end of flowering 53.3–59.1 %. The main oil-synthesizing organs of H. officinalis were leaves and inflorescences. The highest yield amount of H. officinalis essential oil was obtained from inflorescences (1.94 %), which in the fractional composition of the raw material amounted to 53.3 %. The maximum amount of essential oil of specific quality accumulated in plants during the phase of mass flowering (1.26 % in terms of absolutely dry weight). The dominant components of essential oil are ketones: isopinocamphone and pinocamphone (75.9–78.6 %). A high level of phenolic compounds was determined in the phases of regrowth and flowering; extractive substances – in the budding phase; tannins – in the phase of mass flowering. During the storage of air-dry raw materials for two years, insignificant losses of essential oil occur (up to 20.2 %); its component composition changes (hydrocarbons amount decreased by 2.5–22.7 %; ketones – increased by 3.4–16.2 %). The content of other types of BAS during storage of raw materials increased by 10–30 %. Therefore, it is advisable to store air-dry raw materials of Hyssopus officinalis for two years or longer.