CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME IMPATIENS (BALSAMINACEAE) SPECIES BY THE CONTENT OF FLAVONOIDS AND ASCORBIC ACID

Abstract

The present study has been conducted in the Moscow region. It is necessary to understand how individual plant organs of invasive species of Impatiens L. (Balsaminaceae) can be promising for further study, with the aim of using them as sources of medicines. Plant material was collected during the flowering time and at the beginning of fruiting (September, 2019–2020): Impatiens glandulifera Royle (Himalayan Balsam) has been studied in 3 populations; I. parviflora DC. (Small Balsam), – also in 3 populations, but I. parviflora (lilac forma) – in one population. We took the native species I. noli-tangere L. (Touch-me-not Balsam), rarely seen in the Moscow region, for comparison. It has been studied in one population. The aim of this study was to determine the content of the sum of flavonoids and ascorbic acid in the vegetative and generative organs in 2 invasive species: I. glandulifera, I. parviflora (including its lilac-flowered form), and in the native species I. noli-tangere. The biochemical analysis of 60 samples of species I. glandulifera и I. parviflora allowed us to determine the level of content of the sum of flavonoids and ascorbic acid in various organs of alien plants widespread in Russia, and to compare them. It has been found for the first time that the maximum amount of flavonoids (up to 3%, in terms of absolutely dry raw materials) in I. parviflora and I. glandulifera is concentrated in flowers, and in smaller amounts it is concentrated in leaves, fruits and stems. The analysis of ascorbic acid has shown that the maximum content of vitamin C is found in flowers: in I. glandulifera - up to 17 mg%; in I. parviflora – up to 15 mg% (in terms of absolutely dry raw materials). The native species I. noli-tangere has no difference from the invasive species Impatiens in the content of the studied biologically active substances in the vegetative organs. The accumulation of secondary metabolites in plant organs has revealed no significant differences between the typical yellow-flowered and lilac-flowered forms of I. parviflora, which serves as an additional confirmation of their taxonomic proximity.