The quantitative content of the main groups of biologically active substances in the bay laurel raw materiaL

Abstract

The study of the chemical composition of the bay laurel raw material has shown that the plant raw material contains such groups of biologically active substances (BAS) as carbohydrates, fatty and amino acids, phenolic compounds revealing a wide spectrum of the biological activity. The data concerning the chemical composition of the bay laurel raw material is not enough described in the literature sources. The content of the main BAS in different samples of bay laurel shoots and leaves has been determined. The content of the total amount of organic acids, the total amount of oxidizable phenols, the total amount of hydroxycinnamic acids and the total amount of flavonoids in the bay laurel leaves samples are slightly higher. The content of the total amount of organic acids in shoots is not less than 1.7%, in leaves – not less than 1.9%. The content of the total amount of oxidizable phenols in both types of the raw material is not less than 4.5%, the total amount of hydroxycinnamic acids – not less than 1.3%, the total amount of flavonoids – not less than 0.8%. The standardization parameters for the bay laurel raw material have been determined on the basis of the research conducted. The results obtained will be used for developing the project of quality control methods “Lauri Cormus”. The profound research of the medicinal plant raw material previously studied for the potential expansion of the aspects of its application is a topical task of modern pharmacy. Our attention was attracted to plants of the Lauraceae family, Laurus L. genus combining 3 species – Laurus azorica (Seub.) Franco, Laurus nobilis L., Laurus porrecta Roxb. (the latter species is related to Cinnamomum genus, Cinnamomum porrectum (Roxb.) Kosterm. species) [3]). The most wide-spread species is bay laurel – an evergreen tree or a shrub up to 10 m high. Bay laurel fruits were included into 6 pre-revolutionary editions of the Russian Pharmacopoeia, and the State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR, the 1 st ed. Its leaves are used in the treatment of throat cancer, psoriasis, arthritis, pain in joints, cramps, diabetes. The bay laurel oil obtained with flax or sunflower oil is used in the cases of paralysis, rheumatism, etc. The essential oil from leaves contains 1,8-cineol, terpinen-4-ol, α-pinene, β-pinene, linalool acetate [15], as well as β-cymene, β-longipirene, cadinene, α-terpinyl acetate, α-balnesene [12]. BAS of bay laurel are considered to reveal wound-healing [14], anti-inflammatory [10], antinociceptive [10], immune stimulating [5], neuroprotective [11, 14], anticholinergic [14], anti-oxidant [6, 8, 9, 13], anti-ulcer, anti-convulsant, antimutagenic [14], insecticidal [4], antibacterial [7, 14], antiviral, antifungal [14], larvicidal [15] activities. At the same time bay laurel is contraindicated in the cases of glomerulonephritis, pregnancy, tendency to bleedings, amyloidosis. Moreover, medicines produced from this plant are absent nowadays. Thus, the profound studies of the bay laurel raw material and creation of new substances on its basis are up to date.