Introduction of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and phytochemical analysis of non-volatile compounds in Lithuania

Abstract

The research work presents information on Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, a perennial medicinal plant from Lamiaceae Lindl. family which was introduced at Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) in 1977 in the collection of medicinal plants. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is one of the fifty fundamental medicinal plant in China, rich in biological active compounds such as polyphenols and is widely use in treatment diseases using the roots. However, recent pharmacological studies revealed that the aerial part also have wide and strong therapeutic function and potentially beneficial effect such as cardiovascular, antitumor, antibacterial and antiviral activities. Phytochemical analyses on phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activity were performed in the Laboratory of Chemical Instrumental analysis of Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology of VMU. The aerial part of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. was collected and air-dried in 2013 at different vegetation stage. The aims of the research was to analysis the non-volatile compounds of the aerial part of the plant at different stage of vegetation and determine the content of polyphenols and total radical scavenging activities. Raw materials were extracted in 75% methanol and filtered. Extracts were then analyzed by spectrometric method, for the total amount of phenolic compounds, total amount of flavonoids and total DPPH radical scavenging activity. Phenolic compounds were then identified and quantified and antioxidant activity of each compound was determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed the evolution of the phenolic compounds across the different stage of vegetation of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi and their antioxidant activity. The radical scavenging activity was higher than the total amount of flavonoids showing that the activity came also from other phenolic compounds. [...]