AMINO ACID COMPOSITION OF LEAVES OF THREE SPECIES OF ARTEMISIA L. GROWING IN THE ELTON REGION

Abstract

The results of studies of the qualitative composition and quantitative content of amino acids (AAs) in the leaves of three plant species of the genus Artemisia, widespread in the Elton region, were presented. Protein AAs were determined on an AAA T-339 amino acid analyzer (Czech Republic) after hydrolysis of a sample in 6N HCl at 105 °C for 24 h, free AAs – on an AAA-400 amino acid analyzer (Czech Republic) in a lithium buffer system. The protein AAs amount varied from 66 mg / g in A. lerchiana to 113 mg / g dry weight in A. santonica. 17 AAs were found in composition of these species, aspartic and glutamic acids were dominant. The content of free AAs varied from 4.4 mg / g in A. santonica to 8.3 mg / g dry weight in A. pauciflora. 14 AAs have been identified, among them proline was the predominant free AA. The share of proline was 75-81% of the total free AAs. Among the minor components, 3-4 compounds with a content above 2% dominated. The free AAs contain 3 non-proteinogenic ones (ornithine, citruline, and γ-aminobutyric acid). A. lerchiana and A. pauciflora species were similar in protein and free amino acids, probably due to the same growing conditions. A high level of free proline, together with a complex of biologically active substances in Artemisia species, which grow abundantly in the Elton region, allow to consider the possibility of their use as a medicinal raw material.