The content of biologically active substances in the vegetative mass of stonecrops (Sedoideae)

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of the study was to determine the content of the main groups of biologically active substances in the vegetative mass of 10 stonecrops in different phases of seasonal development. Methods. The freshly collected raw materials – vegetative shoots of the following species: Aizopsis aizoon (L.) Grulich, A. hybrida (L.) Grulich, A. kurilensis (Vorosch.) S. Gontch., Hylotelephium ewersii (Ledeb.) H. Ohba, Sedum acre L., S. album L., S. hispanicum L., S. reflexum L., S. rupestre L. and S. spurium M. Bieb. were analyzed. Generally accepted methods of phytochemical analysis were used. The dry matter content was determined by drying 1 g of raw materials to a constant weight. The amount of phenolic compounds, pectin substances and total sugars was determined in ethanol extracts spectrophotometrically, the amount of saponins – by the weight method, and their indicators were calculated for the mass of absolute dry raw materials. The concentration of ascorbic acid was determined by the titrimetric method for wet weight. Scientific novelty. The quantitative content of dry substances, catechins, flavonols, and pectic polysaccharides was studied in stonecrops for the first time. The dynamics of the content of the main groups of secondary metabolites from the flowering phase to the end of the growing season has been established. Results. It was found that the vegetative mass of stonecrops contains: dry matter – up to 19,74 %, flavonols – up to 2,38 %, tannins – up to 19,35 %, pectic polysaccharides – up to 9,9 %, total sugars – up to 41,55 %, and ascorbic acid – up to 112,8 mg%; the amount of catechins does not exceed 3,15 mg%. The tendency to the accumulation of flavonols, saponins and pectic substances during flowering phase in summer, but sugars, tannins and dry substances to the end of the growing season in autumn was revealed. Aizopsis species, S. spurium, S. hispanicum have the highest content of the main groups of biologically active substances. The findings testify to the prospects of stonecrops as a source of various bioactive substances.