BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FRUITS OF LONICERA CAERULEA L. AND ITS SUBSPECIES DURING IN-TRODUCTION IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE BASHKIR URALS

Abstract

Lonicera caerulea L. and its subspecies Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis (Turcz. ex Freyn) Hulten and Lonicera caerulea subsp. altaica Pall. belong to the genus Lonicera L. family Caprifoliaceae Juss., they are valuable fruit plants that are used in medicine, food industry, agriculture. The value of these species lies in the early ripening of fruits and a high content of vitamin C and other biologically active compounds.
 The aim of the study was the qualitative and quantitative determination of the main groups of biologically active substances – organic acids and tannins, in the fruits of three species of the genus Lonicera from the collection of the South Ural Botanical Garden-Institute and the selection of the most promising species. For analysis, honeysuckle fruits were collected in the full ripening phase and dried to an air-dry state. Phytochemical studies were carried out according to generally accepted methods.
 As a result of the study, it was found that all the studied honeysuckle samples contain citric, malic, succinic, oxalic, ascorbic acids, and tartaric acid in Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis. According to the quantitative content of ascorbic acid and the sum of organic acids, a species is distinguished in Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis, whose fruits contain 174 and 1723 mg/100 g respectively, and in Lonicera caerulea subsp. altaica and Lonicera caerulea their content is below. The analysis of fruits for the content of tannins showed, that they are dominated by substances of condensed nature, which are based on catechism, and in a larger amount they accumulate in Lonicera caerulea – 426 mg/100 g in a smaller amount – in Lonicera caerulea subsp. edulis – 171 mg/100 g.
 The obtained data allow us to recommend the studied species of the genus Lonicera as a promising source of raw materials for the creation of medicinal plant products based on them, enriched with vitamins and other valuable biologically active substances on their basis.