Phytochemical Analysis of Symphytum officinale Root Culture Extract

Olga Babich,Vyacheslav Dolganyuk,Andrey Sukhikh,Alexander Prosekov,Svetlana Ivanova,Lyubov Dyshlyuk,Violeta Le

doi:10.3390/app11104478

Olga Babich, Vyacheslav Dolganyuk + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/app11104478

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Abstract

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) root preparations are known for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, the phenolic profile of extract samples of Symphytum officinale callus root cultures (up to 70% of ethanol) was determined using various approaches. For the first time, a unique polymer of two types was isolated from samples of comfrey root cultures (the caffeic acid derivative is a new class of natural polyether with 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) glyceric acid as a repeating unit). M-methoxybenzoic acid (30.05 μg/mL extract) or rosmarinic acid (45.70 μL/mL extract) were identified as the main phenolic component. Rosmarinic, chlorogenic, and caffeic acids have anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, antitumor, neuroprotective, antioxidant, and other properties, which also determine the characteristics of comfrey and preparations made from it. The studied phenolic profile and the analysis of published data showed that the extract samples of comfrey callus cultures had similar characteristics, which makes them an important source of phenolic compounds with pronounced antioxidant activity.

Highlights

The Symphytum genus (Boraginaceae) includes about 40 perennial species growing in Eurasia [1]
A unique polymer of two types was isolated from samples of comfrey root cultures (the caffeic acid derivative is a new class of natural polyether with 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) glyceric acid as a repeating unit)
The studied phenolic profile and the analysis of published data showed that the extract samples of comfrey callus cultures had similar characteristics, which makes them an important source of phenolic compounds with pronounced antioxidant activity

Summary

Introduction

The Symphytum genus (Boraginaceae) includes about 40 perennial species growing in Eurasia [1]. The literature provides a description of the following species: Symphytum cordatum Willd., Symphytum grandiflorum DC., Symphytum ibericum Steven ex M. Bieb., Symphytum orientale L., Symphytum popovii Dobrocz, and Symphytum tauricum Willd., without a clear indication of the component composition of secondary metabolites [2]. Despite the fact that numerous clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of S. officinale as an anti-inflammatory agent in muscle and joint inflammatory diseases, the key bioactive components, as well as their molecular mechanisms of action, remain poorly understood [3]. Numerous chemical components of comfrey determine its pharmacological and therapeutic potential, including in neurology [7,8]

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