SELECTION OF VERBENA OFFICINALIS LINES WITH HIGH POLYPHENOL PRODUCING ABILITY

Abstract

Verbenae herba consists of the dried flowering shoots of Verbena officinalis L. containing 0.2-0.5% iridoid glycosides, caffeic acid derivatives, flavonoids, tannins, ursolic acid, mucilages and traces of volatile oil. Based on the secretolytic activity, its utilization in the treatments of diseases of the upper respiratory tract is advantageous, especially as an element of combined preparataions. The effect of the genotype on drug quality of V. officinalis has not been studied yet in detail. A breeding project was started in 2005, in order to find highly productive accessions with constant drug quality containing more than 0.60% of total polyphenols. As a source of selection we collected seed materials from native populations (2005-2007) of 60 different habitats (10 countries were involved). Evaluation of the genotypes were based on the comparison of total polyphenol content of Verbenae herba harvested from populations established and grown at the Research Station of the Corvinus University of Budapest (2006-2008). As a first step of the breeding process, 21 accessions producing high level of polyphenols (over 0.7%), have been selected. When comparing total polyphenol contents measured in herb drug of mother populations and those of their progenies, the latter showed significant selection progress in the successive years after mass selection. However, the influence of growing season on the total polyphenol content was also significant.