Variation in concentrations of major bioactive compounds in Hypericum perforatum L. from Lithuania

The growing demand for the medicinal plant, Hypericum perforatum, is not being met by available supply in many countries. The conditions for obtaining quality crude drug should be thoroughly studied to ensure adequate supply. The current study describes the variation of major bioactive compounds in different accessions of H. perforatum (Hypericaceae) in two floral development stages. Two extraction procedures were evaluated for the quantification of the major bioactive compounds in H. perforatum. The Soxhlet extraction technique was demonstrated to be more effective with higher extraction yields. The contents of rutin, hyperoside, quercitrin, quercetin, and 3,8 ''-biapigenin were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This procedure was used to establish the variation in the contents of flavonoids in the field-growing H. perforatum and to evaluate factors predetermining that variation with some practical implications for utilization. A significant difference in flavonoid contents between two floral development stages was detected. The results of the study showed that rutin prevailed during the budding stage, whereas quercitrin, quercetin, and 3,8 ''-biapigenin were dominant during the full-flowering stage. The contents of hyperoside were similar in both developmental stages of the plants. The highest amounts of the most bioactive compounds were observed in the full-flowering stage, which could therefore be considered the best stage for the harvesting of the raw material of H. perforatum, known as Hyperici herba in pharmaceutics. The study revealed evident intraspecific variations in the flavonoid contents of H. perforatum. Several chemotypes were recognized by qualitative and quantitative differences in flavonoids. Qualitative analysis of the flavonoid contents confirmed the presence of the chemotype of H. perforatum containing no rutin, though the chemotype with higher levels of both rutin and hyperoside was more frequent. The accessions of H. perforatum also showed remarkable differences in chemical composition depending on the origin of plants. Therefore, employing the correct developmental stage for the harvesting of the selected accessions of H. perforatum is highly recommended for the quality production of the drug Hyperici herba. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.