Application of high-performance liquid chromatography for research of salicin in bark of different varieties of Salix

Palmyra Kenstavičienė,Andrejus Ževžikovas,Audronis Lukošius,Palma Nenortienė,Guoda Kiliuvienė,Daiva Kazlauskienė

doi:10.3390/medicina45080084

Palmyra Kenstavičienė, Andrejus Ževžikovas + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina45080084

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Journal: Medicina	Publication Date: Aug 9, 2009
Citations: 27	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Kaunas University of Technology, Pedagogical University

Abstract

Willow (Salix L.) species are widely spread in Lithuanian natural dendroflora. Willow bark contains active substances known for anti-inflammatory properties and is known as a phytotherapeutic precursor of aspirin. Bark extracts are components of analgesic and antirheumatic preparations. Therapeutic effectiveness is associated with salicin (2-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside), which turns into salicylic acid. Increasing attention to natural preparations gives primary importance to research of plants. This study focused on 12 willow taxa and employed routine pharmacopoeia methods. High-performance liquid chromatography method was applied for the analysis of bark extractions. The investigation revealed that not all willow species accumulated a therapeutically sufficient amount of salicin. Bark samples were investigated after 1- and 2-year growth in autumn and spring. Salicin content ranged from 0.08 to 12.6%. Higher contents of active materials were determined in autumn and in 2-year-old willows. Certain willow taxa (Salix alba L., Salix mollissima L., Salix triandra L., Salix viminalis "Americana", Salix dasyclados L.) possessed extremely low salicin amounts. In the second year, analysis covered 32 willow species. Results indicated striking differences in salicin amounts (from 0.04% in Salix viminalis "Americana" to 12.06% in Salix acutifolia). Willow species, plant age, and season should be considered when collecting medicinal plant material. The amount of salicylates in 2-year-old willow bark collected in autumn exceeded by 25% that in 1-year-old willow bark collected in spring. Bark of some analyzed willow species contained the amount of salicylates too low for using as anti-inflammatory or antipyretic remedy.

Highlights

Willow is a deciduous shrub native to Britain, central and southern Europe [1], Asia, and North America [2]
The percentage amount of the salicylic derivatives expressed as salicin in different species of Salix genus is presented in Tables 1 and 2
Comparison of the quantities of the salicylic derivatives, depending on age of the plant (Fig. 4) and time of collection (Fig. 5), showed that two-year-old plants and the ones collected in the autumn accumulated the greatest amounts of active substances when compared with one-year-old plants and the material collected in spring season

Summary

Introduction

Willow is a deciduous shrub native to Britain, central and southern Europe [1], Asia, and North America [2]. There are approximately 400 species worldwide, including 150 in the western hemisphere. Salix species are located in North Temperate and Arctic regions, growing primarily in moist habitats, especially along stream banks. The Salicaceae (includes 2 genera, Salix and Populus) are differentiated from other catkin-bearing families by the presence of only one bract subtending each flower. Members of willow species are difficult to conclusively identify due to high variability and hybridization among the genera. Important diagnostic characters include habitat; leaf position, shape, margin, and pubescence; the timing of catkin emergence; bract morphology; number of stamens per flower; shape and pubescence of the ovary [4,5,6,7,8]

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