Content of amino acids in dense extracts from raw material of Echium vulgare L.

Abstract

Echium vulgare L. of Boraginaceae family is a biennial rigidly pubescent plant with a spindle-shaped root, which is rather widespread in Ukraine. Above-ground and underground part of the plant is used in folk medicine as a blood purifying agent and anticonvulsant, herb decoctions – as expectorant and calming agent for cough of various etiology. Owing to shikonin and its ethers presence, extracts from Echium vulgare L. have high antibacterial activity and stable fungistatic effect against yeast fungi. In addition, these substances also exibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and regenerative activity. Echium vulgare L., as most representatives of Boraginaceae, is not sufficiently studied. Continuing to study this species, we have determined amino acid composition of its aqueous extracts. This group of biologically active substances is present in easy-to-digest complexes and in biologically available concentrations; it demonstrates a number of biological actions, such as hepatoprotective, lipotropic, cardiotropic, regenerative, wound-healing, calming, etc.

The objective of our work was to study qualitative composition and quantitative content of amino acids in dense extracts obtained from roots and herb of Echium vulgare L.

Objects of our study were dense extracts obtained from roots and herb of Echium vulgare L. Roots were harvested in autumn, at the end of vegetation period (October – November 2009); herb was collected during the phase of mass flowering (June 2009) in Kharkov region. Well-known methods were used to obtain dense extracts (extraction agent: purified water). Output of root dense extract was 22,7%, and herb dense extract was 23,5%. Amino acid composition of dense extracts was studied with amino acid analyzer AAA-339 (Czech Republic) after hydrolysis with hydrochloric acid.

There have been identified 16 amino acids, 7 of which are essential, 3 semiessential ones and the rest – nonessential amino acids. Qualitative composition and quantitative content of amino acids of the objects studies differed insignificantly. Quantitative content of total amino acids of each group (essential, semiessential, nonessential) was insignificantly greater in dense extract from herb (1,22%, 0,55% and 2,94%, respectively) against the one in dense extract from roots (1,00%, 0,42% and 2,79%, respectively).

It has been determined that dominating amino acids among essential ones  in dense extract from herb are leucine (0,25%), valine (0,23%) and isoleucine (0,20%); and in dense extract from roots: valine (0,20%), lysine (0,17%) and leucine (0,16%). Among this group of amino acids, methionine is found to be present in minimal quantities (up to 0,1%). Among semiessential amino acids, arginine content is 4,6 times more in dense extract from herb against the one in dense extract from roots (0,32% and 0,07%, respectively), whereas histidine content, on the contrary, is 2,1 times more in dense extract from roots ainst the one in dense extract from herb (0,19% and 0,09%, respectively).

In dense extracts from herb and roots of Echium vulgare L. among nonessential amino acids in greater quantities there are glutamic acid (1,26% and 0,97%, respectively), aspartic acids (0,54% and 0,72%, respectively) and prolin (0,35% and 0,44%, respectively).

Determination of the qualitative composition and quantitative content of amino acids in dense extracts from roots and herb of Echium vulgare L. has been carried out for the first time. Presence of 16 compounds of this nature has been revealed. Dominating compounds in both dense extracts are glutamic and aspartic acids, as well as proline. Data obtained will be used in further investigations.