Assessment of the potential of Artemisia annua L. as a source of biologically active substances in Belarus

Abstract

Aim. The aim of the work was to assess the composition of biologically active compounds in plants of Artemisia annua L. Methods. The plants were grown on the experimental plot of the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Essential oil from the above-ground mass was isolated by the method of water-steam distillation. To analyze the content of flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids, we used the method of quantitative extraction and spectrophotometric determination of the total content of hydroxycinnamic acids in the presence of flavonoids in plant extractive substances, and the method of Folin-Chocalteu was used to determine the content of phenolic compounds. Analysis of the essential oils was performed by GC and NMR. The analysis of the content of phenolic acids in extracts was performed by HPLC. Results. The genetic potential of A. annua was evaluated under conditions of the central agroclimatic zone of Belarus. The yield and composition of essential oils, the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, the composition of phenolic acids were studied. Conclusions. A. annua in the conditions of the central agroclimatic zone of Belarus contains essential oil, which is dominated by isoartemisia ketone, β-selinene, β-myrcene and camphor. In the above-ground mass phenolic acids including chlorogenic acid and isomers of caffeoylquinic acid were predominant in the composition of phenolic compounds.
 Keywords: annual wormwood, essential oil, phenolic compounds, phenolic acids.