INTRASPECIFIC VARIABILITY OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE COMPOUNDS OF DIFFERENT POPULATIONS OF TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS IN THRACIAN FLORISTIC REGION

Tribulus terrestris, commonly known as Puncture vine, is a member of the Zygophyllaceae family. The steroidal saponins are considered to be the factor responsible for the biological activity of the products derived from this plant. The content of the main steroidal saponins protodioscin, prototribestin, dioscin and the flavonoid glucoside rutin in T terrestris populations from 19 localities in the Thracian floristic region were analyzed using an HPLC method. Seven localities from Haskovo Plain and Pazardzhik-Plovdiv Plain showed the highest content of Pd, which varied from 12.79 to 22.39 mg/g and Pt -from 7.29 to 21.70 mg/g with a total of 47000 kg dry mass exploitation reserve. Cluster analysis was performed to reveal the possible similarities among the investigated habitats. The economically important populations can be successfully used in our country and international markets for the preparation Tribestan and some food supplements containing extracts from T terrestris.