Variation of Chemical Composition of the Lipophilic Extracts from Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) Foliage

Abstract

The occurrence of biologically active compounds identified for the first time in the lipophilic extracts of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) foliage led to the quantification of the seasonal variation of their concentrations. Yellow birch foliage was collected from late June until late September 2003 in two different regions of Quebec. The extraction yields using hexane as a solvent were determined, and the extracts were analyzed by GC-MS to identify their molecular composition. In terms of both extraction yields and the concentration of the targeted molecules present in the extracts, mid-September has been determined as the best time to collect foliage samples. A total of 14 constituents were identified in these extracts. This is the first report of the presence of all of these constituents in yellow birch foliage and of some of them in the genus Betula. The most important compounds identified in yellow birch foliage extracts are triterpene squalene and aliphatic hydrocarbon tetracosan, aliphatic alcohol phytol, fatty acids hexadecanoic and octadecanoic, pentacyclic triterpenes alpha- and beta-amyrin, and phytosterol stigmast-5-en-3-ol.

White Birch Trunk Extracts as a Source of Organic Compounds

“…The identity of these substances was again verified by measuring an authenticated reference substance. Hexadecanoic acid ( i18 ) was already described among various other fatty acids in the leaves of yellow birch . Octadecanoic acid ( i20 ) was analyzed among a high number of other fatty acids in a soil microbial community of birch species .…”

“…Hexadecanoic acid (i18) was already described among various other fatty acids in the leaves of yellow birch. [22] Octadecanoic acid (i20) was analyzed among a high number of other fatty acids in a soil microbial community of birch species. [23] The identity of both compounds was confirmed through the authentication of reference substances as well.…”

Polymorphic forms of lupane triterpenoid betulonic aldehyde (betulonal)

“…Betulonic aldehyde was isolated for the first time in 1966 from white birch bark (Betula pendula) by extraction with cyclohexane (Rimpler et al, 1966). Betulonic aldehyde has already been identified in the outer bark of Betula nigra (Hua et al, 1991), Betula platyphylla (Kochergina et al, 1986), Betula alleghaniensis (Lavoie & Stevanovic, 2005), Betula pubescens (Abyshev et al, 2007), in the root bark of Maytenus cuzcoina (Nú ñ ez et al, 2005), in the leaves of Quercus suber (Monaco & Previtera, 1984), in the ground aerial parts of Boronia gracilipes (Ahsan et al, 1995) and in Chios mastic gum (Dabos et al, 2010). The content of betulonic aldehyde in different plant species is rather low and does not exceed 0.05%.…”

Growth Inhibition of Streptococcus from the Oral Cavity by α-Amyrin Esters

“…The terpenoids α-amyrin ( 3 ) and β-amyrin ( 5 ) are commonly found in medicinal plants and oleo-resins obtained by bark incision of several species of Bursera or Protium spp. of the Burseraceae family ( Figure 1 ) [ 1 ]. They have shown various pharmacological activities in vitro and in vivo against several health-related conditions, including microbial, fungal, and viral infections, cancer and inflammation.…”