THE DEVELOPMENT OF METHOD OF QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF TOTAL FLAVONOIDS IN THE LEAVES OF MYRTUS COMMUNIS

Abstract

Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is an evergreen plant, a small tree or shrub endemic to the Mediterranean region. In the area of growth since ancient times, various parts (berries, fruits and leaves) of myrtle are used in folk medicine. The therapeutic properties of varies parts of the myrtle can be caused with different biologically active compounds, such as terpenoids (α-pinene, 1,8-cineole, geranyl acetate, linalool, limonene, trans-myrtanol acetate), polyphenolic compounds named flavonoids (quercetin, myricetin, myrtocommulones etc. At present time the myrtle is successfully cultivated in the coastal zone of the southern coast of Crimea. We studied samples of leaves of myrtle, harvested in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden – National Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The optimal conditions for the extraction of flavonoids from the leaves of were determined. It was established that the appropriate extragent for this raw material is 80% ethanol. The extraction time is 90 min, the ratio of "raw material-extragent" is 1 : 50. The method has been developed for the quantitative determination of the total flavonoids (calculated on rutin) in the leaves of myrtle by the method of differential spectrophotometry, at an analytical wavelength of 414 nm. Using the developed methodic, a number of samples of the myrtle leaves were analyzed, and it was established that the content of the total flavonoids in the leaves of myrtle varies from 2.48±0.08% to 3.64±0.12% (calculated on rutin) .