The genus Potentilla (Rosaceae) includes about 500 species of perennial, rarely biennial,
and annual herbs and small shrubs. Species diversity is highest in northern Eurasia.
A few species are also found in high mountain regions of the tropics and South America.
In their natural habitat they commonly occur in temperate, arctic and Alpine zones
and are also grown for their decorative values [1]. The high content of polyphenolic
compounds: tannins, flavonoids, phenolic acids and other active phytochemicals (triterpenes)
contributed to their pharmacological effects. Potentilla species are known for their
therapeutic properties in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery and sore throats and
recent investigations have also shown that some extracts of different parts from Potentilla
species exhibit antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-ulcerogenic
potential properties [2,3]. The aim of our study was to determinate three polyphenolic
compounds: tiliroside (TRS), methyl brevifolincarboxylate (MBR) and ellagic acid (EA)
in the diethyl ether extracts obtained from aerial parts of the selected Potentilla
species: P. anserina, P. grandiflora, P. nepalensis and P. rupestris by using HPTLC-densitometry method. Chromatography was performed in CAMAG ADC2 (Automatic
Development Chamber). HPTLC Silica gel 60 F254 plates were used. As a mobile phase
toluene-ethyl formate-formic acid (6:4:1, v/v/v) was used (distance of 7.5cm). Densitometry
was carried out by using of Shimadzu CS-9301PC densitometer. The absorption spectra
were recorded at 320nm (TRS), 287nm (MBR) and at 280nm (EA). The quantitative amounts
of the marker compounds tiliroside, methyl brevifolicarboxylate and ellagic acid ranged
from 2.0% to 21.0% in extracts of different Potentilla species. The proposed HPTLC
method was found to be simple, precise and accurate for the quantification of these
compounds in plant materials.
Acknowledgements: This study is financially supported by Medical University of Bialystok
(grant No. 4–12546 F)
References: 1. Eriksson, T. et al. (1998) Plant Syst Evol 211: 155–170. 2. Tomczyk,
M. (2006) Biochem Syst Ecol 34: 770–773. 3. Tomczyk, M. et
al. (2008) Pharmazie (in press), doi:10.1691/ph.2008.7810.
