Changes in the Individual and Group Composition of Polyphenols in Leaves of <i>Lonicera caerulea</i> subsp. <i>altaica</i> and <i>Spiraea chamaedryfolia</i> as Related to the Chemical Elements Content in Soil and Plants on the Ultra-Alkaline Parent Rock Material

Abstract

Abstract—A comparative analysis of the main classes of biologically active polyphenols in extracts from the leaves of the medicinal species Spiraea chamaedryfolia L. (Rosaceae) and Lonicera caerulea L. (Caprifoliaceae) was performed. The features related to the macro- and trace elements’ content in soil and phytomass in coenopopulations of the Mountain Altai at the site with sporadic occurrence of serpentinites were studied. In the S. chamaedryfolia leaves high performance liquid chromatography identified 16 polyphenolic compounds. These polyphenols were attributed to different classes, namely phenol-carboxylic acids (3), flavonols (10), flavons (2) and one flavanon. As for the L. caerulea leaves, the analysis confirmed their polyphenolic composition, measured earlier, i.e. the presence of hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols and flavons; but additionally, one more compound, identified as flavanone, was found. The study revealed species-specific shifts in plant secondary metabolism in response to specific edaphic properties and the level of macro- and trace elements accumulation in the leaves of plants, growing in the area with a natural geochemical anomaly.