Occurrence of esterified triterpenoid alcohols in the leaves of Pilosella officinarum

Abstract

S. 1984 Occurrence of esterified triterpenoid alcohols in the leaves of Pilosella officinarum. -Physiol. Plant. 61: 243-250.The mature winter leaves of Piiosella officinarum coll. Schultz and Schultz contained 29 mg esterified triterpenoid alcohols (g dry weight)-', of which over 80% was esterified with long-chain (C16-C18) fatty acids. The major fatty acids were 16:0, 18:2(o6 and 18:3u)3 and their amounts varied according to the season and stage of leaf development. In mature leaves the amount of triterpenoid alcohols esterified with long-chain fatt^ acids varied only slightly with the season. The changes in the fatty acid proportions in late winter-early spring, however, indicated a turnover in the esterified triterpenoid alcohol pool. In late winter after the snow had melted a 50% decrease occurred in the amount of triterpenoid alcohols esterified with short-chain fatty acids. The amount of esterified triterpenoid alcohols in immature leaves was relatively low [4 mg (g dry weight)-']. In Ihe mature leaves esterified triteipenoid alcohols were found in globules whose appearance varied greatly according to the season. The globules were partly dissolved in late winter, and this together with the activation of respiration, suggests that the globules function as short-term energy reservoirs. Relationships between the appearance of lipid globules and the amount of esterified triterpenoid alcohols are discussed.Additional key words -Evergreen, leaf development, seasonal variation.

The composition of the lipid globules of Ilex aquifolium leaves and its variability with the age of the leaf and with season

“…The similarity may be bigger when a comparison would be restricted to the composition of the lipid globules. Pilosella also contains latex and Karunen et al (1984) did not discriminate between the lipid globules and the latex particles.…”

“…This plant is a laticifer which in addition to the latex particles forms lipid globules in the leaves upon maturation. Compairitig im-mature and mature leaves, Karunen et al (1984) found a higher incidence of palmitic acid and lower unsaturated C18 acid in immature leaves. In this respect Ilex and Pilosella show a similar behaviour, although in Ilex more drastic changes were observed (Tab.…”

“…Accumulation of esterified triterpenoid alcohols in leaves forming lipid globules has not been extensively investigated. Only recently, Karunen et al (1984) reported a change in the fatty acid composition of the esterified triterpenoid alcohols of the Composite Pilosella officinarum. This plant is a laticifer which in addition to the latex particles forms lipid globules in the leaves upon maturation.…”

“…The composition of the latex particles, however, appeared to be independent of the age of the plant or of changes in environmental conditions. In the case of Pilosella the occurrence of latex particles with a composition which is stable but further similar to that of the lipid globules, might, as Karunen et al (1984) rightly pointed out, obscure seasonal effects on the composition of the lipid globules.…”

How the Name Arnica Was Borrowed Into Estonian

“…The herb contains flavonoids, carotenoids, hydroxycoumarins umbelliferone and skimmine, also tannins, caffeic acid, fatty acids, lectins, etc (Antonyuk 2004, Chevallier 2000, PDR, 1998, Yakovlev and Blinova 1999. Sterols have been identified in the roots and herb of H. pilosella (Gawronska-Grzywacz and Krzaczek 2006, Karunen, Hakala, and Heinonen 1984, Krzaczek et al 2002, Zidorn, Gottschlich, and Stuppner 2002. Aqueous extracts of H. pilosella increase urine flow (Beaux, Fleurentin and Mortier 1998).…”