Achillea millefolium L. s.l. – phenolic compounds as pharmacologically active principles and their evaluation in commercial drug samples

Abstract

The aerial parts of yarrow (Achillea millefolium L. s.l.) are used in traditional European medicine for the treatment of gastro-intestinal and hepato-biliary disorders [1]. The European Pharmacopoeia requires a minimum content of 0.2% essential oil and 0.02% proazulenes, the latter causing the antiphlogistic effects of the drug [2]. Moreover, phenolic compounds such as flavonoids and phenolcarbonic acids are present in the plant and, as previously demonstrated by our group, also contribute to the pharmacological activity of yarrow: A fraction enriched in flavonoids exhibited spasmolytic effects on isolated guinea-pig ilea [3], whereas a dicaffeoylquinic acid fraction showed choleretic effects in the isolated perfused rat liver [4]. In order to assess the pharmaceutical quality of a broad range of commercially available drug samples, that were already analysed upon their content of essential oil and sesquiterpenes [5], we determined the content of flavonoids and phenolcarbonic acids by SPE-HPLC/UV. In conclusion, the phenolic compounds represent another group of pharmacologically active compounds in Achillea millefolium L. s.l. As very polar substances they are of special interest, since they are extracted almost quantitatively into teas and tinctures which are the traditional application forms of yarrow. The evaluation of commercial drug samples provides information about their pharmaceutical quality and can serve as a basis for the standardisation of the drug. [1] Millefolii herba. In: Wichtl M, editor. Teedrogen und Phytopharmaka. 4th ed. Stuttgart, WVG, 2002, 399–403. [2] Kastner U, Sosa S, Tubaro A, Breuer J, et al.: Planta Med. 1993; 59: A669. [3] Lemmens-Gruber R, Marchart E, Rawnduzi P, Engel N, Benedek B, Kopp B: Arzneimittel-Forschung/DrugResearch (in press). [4] Benedek B, Geisz N, Jager W, Thalhammer T, Kopp B: Phytomedicine (in press). [5] Rothwangl-Wiltschnigg K [Ph. D. Thesis], University of Vienna, 2004.