Secoiridoid Glycosides Research Articles

Four pairs of tautomers from rhizomes of Acorus calamus and fruits of Cornus officinalis

A pair of new guaiane-type sesquiterpene tautomers (1) was isolated from rhizomes of Acorus calamus. Meanwhile, three pairs of known compounds, including a pair of dihydroflavone glycoside tautomers (2), a pair of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid ester glycoside tautomers (3), as well as a pair of secoiridoid glycoside tautomers (4) were isolated from fruits of Cornus officinalis. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic and computational methods. Furthermore, the tautomeric mechanisms were discussed.

Targeted discovery and characterization of secoiridoid glycosides from Jasminum pentaneurum Hand.-Mazz by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry based on diagnostic ion and neutral loss filtering strategy.

In this study, we proposed an integrated analytical strategy for the rapid and comprehensive discovery of a specific class of secoiridoid glycosides from a Yao medicine, Jasminum pentaneurum Hand.-Mazz. The strategy fully took advantage of the accuracy of ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and the efficiency of diagnostic ion filtering and neutral loss filtering. Twenty-four secoiridoid glycosides, including three known ones and 21 unreported ones, were rapidly discovered and characterized based on the detail analysis of their mass spectrometry data. Particularly, 10-syringicoyl-ligustroside (18) was isolated under the guidance of mass spectrometry analysis. Its chemical structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis, and absolute configuration was further elucidated by comparison of its experimental and electronic circular dichroism spectra. Furthermore, the mass spectrometry data of 18 was analyzed and the corresponding results indicated that its fragment pathway was fully consistent with the applied diagnostic ion filtering and neutral loss filtering rules, and thus the precision and efficiency of the integrated strategy were validated. The result demonstrated that the proposed integrated strategy could serve as a rapid, accurate, and comprehensive targeted components discovery method to effectively screen out those ingredients of interest from the complex herbal medicines.

Leaves of Yellow Gentian (Gentiana lutea) as an Alternative Source of Bitter Secoiridoid Glycosides.

In a search for methods of manufacturing bitter principles from Gentiana lutea, mainly represented by gentiopicroside (1) and amarogentin (2), as an alternative to extraction from the roots of this plant, in this short communication it is shown that the leaves of this plant can be regarded as an additional source of such phytochemicals. Extraction of G. lutea leaves was coupled to solid-phase adsorption by differently structured solids as a separation technology step, providing a selective isolation of both these secondary metabolites in good to excellent yields. Thus, the extraction of bitter secoiridoids can be achieved in an equivalent or improved way rather than processing the roots of G. lutea while preserving the biodiversity of the species.

Amarogentin has protective effects against sepsis-induced brain injury via modulating the AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB pathway

Amarogentin (AMA), a secoiridoid glycoside that is mainly derived from SwertiaandGentiana roots, has been confirmed to exhibit antioxidative, tumor-suppressive and anti-diabetic properties. This research intends to investigate the protective effect of AMA against sepsis-induced brain injury and its mechanism. NSC-34 and HT22 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce an in-vitro sepsis model and then treated with varying concentrations (1, 5, 10 µM) of AMA. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated. The intensity of inflammation and oxidative stress were assessed by different methods. The AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB pathway expression was determined by WB. An in-vitro sepsis model was set up with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in adult C57/BL6J mice, and different concentrations (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) of AMA were applied for treatment. Neurological function was evaluated using the modified neurological severity scores (mNSS), and the brain tissue damage was measured using hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and Nissl staining. Tissue apoptosis was tested using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Then, the AMPK inhibitor Compound C (CC) was administered to confirm AMA-mediated mechanism. Our finding illustrated that AMA mitigated LPS-induced neuronal damage, inflammation and oxidative stress, activated the AMPK/SIRT1 pathway and choked NF-κB phosphorylation. Furthermore, AMA improved neurological functions of sepsis mice by reliving neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Inhibition of AMPK attenuated the protective effect of AMA on neurons or the mice’s brain tissues. In conclusion, AMA protected against sepsis-induced brain injury by modulating the AMPK/SIRT1/NF-κB pathway.

Bioactive constituents from the leaves of Lonicera japonica

Six new isolates including three new alkaloids (1–3), one new secoiridoid glycoside (4) and one new 11-delactonization-secoiridoid glycoside (5), and one new organic acid (6) were identified from the leaves of Lonicera japonica, among which 1 and 2 assigned as a pair of configurational isomers possessed two oxazolidin-2-one fragments connected through NN bond. The structures were elucidated by the NMR data and ICD analysis. All the compounds (1–6) were tested for their antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities using cell models of ABAP-induced HepG2 cell and APAP-induced HepG2 cell by the MTT method. Outstandingly, compound 2 exhibited remarkable antioxidative activity with inhibitory rate of 117.2%, and compounds 2, 4, 6 exhibited significant effects with inhibitory rates of 68.1%, 69.3%, 69.2%, respectively.

Verbena officinalis (Verbenaceae): Pharmacology, Toxicology and role in female health

Verbena officinalis Linn (Verbenaceae), the common verbena or vervain, a traditional herb with immense cultural and medicinal significance in the European, Greek, American, Roman and Egyptian countries. Phytochemical analysis suggests the presence of iridoid glycosides, secoiridoid glycosides, phenylethanoid glycosides, flavones, pentacyclic triterpenoids, monoterpenes, sterols and their derivatives. Owing to the presence of these phytochemicals, wide range of pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antidiarrheal, antitumour, antidepressant, anxiolytic, gastroprotective and hepatoprotective, etc are reported. Literature survey highlights the distinct role of Verbena officinalis in treating dysmenorrhoea, vaginitis, endometriosis, premenopausal night sweating, herbal tonic for pregnant women and lactating mothers and its use as emmenagogue. The review aims to promote studies on Verbena officinalis for its therapeutic role in female reproductive health and other ailments. The scientific databases used for compilation of the data were Google scholar, Pubmed the data made available specifically from 2010 to 2022.

Assessment of seasonal variation of the bioactive oleuropein in Olea europaea L. leaves cultivated in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Plants secondary metabolites undergoes qualitative and quantitative variation due to environmental and growth factors. It is a crucial factor to select the proper time for collection of medicinal plants to assure maximum content of active components reflected as maximum efficacy. Olive leaves (Olea europaea L.) are known traditionally for their antidiabetic effect. The secoiridoid glycoside oleuropein is the main active component of Olive leaves responsible for the biological activity. The current study was conducted to monitor the seasonal variation of oleuropein in Olives leaves collected from the same location. To achieve this goal a validated HPLC method following the ICH guidelines was established. Separation was conducted using RP18 column and a mobile phase consisted of ultrapure water containing 20% acetonitrile and 1% acetic acid. Detection was performed at 254 nm with 1 mL/min flow rate. The method was simple, linear, accurate, precise, specific and robust. The analyses revealed considerable variations in the level of oleuropein throughout the year. This variation cannot be explained by temperature variation during the year. Two points of high levels of oleuropein were detected prior to flowering stage and ripening of the fruits. The levels of growth regulators most likely is responsible for the increased production of oleuropein. It is recommended that leaves intended for medicinal use to be collected during the fruiting stage prior to fruit ripening.

Biological Activities and Chemical Profile of Gentiana asclepiadea and Inula helenium Ethanolic Extracts.

This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic potential of ethanolic extracts obtained from Gentiana asclepiadea L. and Inula helenium L. roots, in relation to their chemical composition. The total polyphenols, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were determined by spectrophotometric methods, while LC-MS analysis was used to evaluate the individual constituents. The antioxidant properties were tested using the FRAP and DPPH methods. The standard well diffusion and broth microdilution assays were carried out to establish in vitro antimicrobial efficacy and minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations. The cytotoxicity was tested on rat intestinal epithelial cells using the MTT assay. The results pointed out important constituents such as secoiridoid glycoside (amarogentin), phenolic acids (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, trans-p-coumaric acid, salicylic acid), and flavonoids (apigenin, chrysin, luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, quercetin, rutoside, and naringenin) and promising antioxidant properties. The in vitro antimicrobial effect was noticed towards several pathogens (Bacillus cereus > Staphylococcus aureus > Enterococcus faecalis > Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis > Escherichia coli), with a pronounced bactericidal activity. Rat intestinal epithelial cell viability was not affected by the selected concentrations of these two extracts. These data support the ethnomedicinal recommendations of these species and highlight them as valuable sources of bioactive compounds.

Gentiopicroside attenuates collagen-induced arthritis in mice via modulating the CD147/p38/NF-κB pathway

Gentiopicroside (GEN) is a secoiridoid glycosides isolated from a traditional Chinese medicine Gentiana macrophylla Pall.. It exhibits potential activities in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Here, we investigated whether GEN had the anti-rheumatoid arthritic activities in a model of rheumatoid arthritis, and explored its molecular mechanism. In vivo, the male C57BL/6J mice were injected chicken type II collagen to induce the animal model (collagen-induced arthritis, CIA). In vitro, we performed the research in rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). In our study, it was innovatively authenticated that GEN treatment could not only reduce synovitis and inhibit the proliferation of RA FLS, but also relieve cartilage damage in CIA modal. More importantly, we firstly demonstrated that GEN treatment lessened the pain behaviors of CIA mice. In vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed that CD147 was the main target of GEN in attenuating RA symptoms for the first time. Next, we identified the downstream signaling pathway of CD147, and proved that the anti-RA effects of GEN were mediated by down-regulating the expression of p38, IκBα and p65 in vivo and in vitro assays. In conclusion, the data of this manuscript suggested that GEN treatment attenuated synovitis and cartilage destruction in CIA mice; the inhibitory effects on MMP secretion and the anti-rheumatic effects of GEN might be regulated by the CD147/p38/ NF-κB pathway. Accordingly, we found that GEN has the potential therapeutic effects for RA.

Activated Carbon-Based Immunochromatographic Strip Test for the Rapid Qualitative Analysis of Swertiamarin and Sweroside.

Swertia japonica (S. japonica) is a medicinal plant that belongs to the Gentianaceae family. Several reports confirm the biological effects of the S. japonica extract. This plant is used mainly as a digestive stimulant, appetite stimulant, and gastrointestinal disease remedy in Japan. Secoiridoid glycosides are a group of compounds related to the beneficial effects of this plant. We developed an immunochromatographic strip test for major secoiridoid glycosides, such as swertiamarin (SM) and sweroside (SS) detection. We fabricated an immunoprobe using activated carbon as a reporter molecule and a monoclonal antibody against SM and SS (MAb D2) as a detection molecule. The test and control zones of the strip test contained SM-cBSA and Goat pAb anti-mouse IgM HRP conjugate, respectively. The immunoprobe reacted competitively with free SM and/or SS and immobilized SM-cBSA. The results were read and interpreted by the black spot intensity in the test zone. We succeeded in developing a strip test system with a detection limit (LOD) of 12.5 µg/mL. The selectivity and reliability evaluation revealed that the strip test is suitable for detecting SM and SS in S. japonica. The result was ready to be read in 30 min. This method can be a useful tool for the screening of biologically active S. japonica samples for further preparation of traditional medicine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first immunochromatographic strip test developed for the detection of SM and SS in S. japonica samples.

Isolation and Structural Elucidation of Compounds from Pleiocarpa bicarpellata and Their In Vitro Antiprotozoal Activity.

Species of the genus Pleiocarpa are used in traditional medicine against fever and malaria. The present study focuses on the isolation and identification of bioactive compounds from P. bicarpellata extracts, and the evaluation of their antiprotozoal activity. Fractionation and isolation combined to LC-HRMS/MS-based dereplication provided 16 compounds: seven indole alkaloids, four indoline alkaloids, two secoiridoid glycosides, two iridoid glycosides, and one phenolic glucoside. One of the quaternary indole alkaloids (7) and one indoline alkaloid (15) have never been reported before. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data, including 1D and 2D NMR experiments, UV, IR, and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations were determined by comparison of the experimental and calculated ECD data. The extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for their antiprotozoal activity towards Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania donovani, and Plasmodium falciparum, as well as for their cytotoxicity against rat skeletal myoblast L6 cells. The dichloromethane/methanol (1:1) root extract showed strong activity against P. falciparum (IC50 value of 3.5 µg/mL). Among the compounds isolated, tubotaiwine (13) displayed the most significant antiplasmodial activity with an IC50 value of 8.5 µM and a selectivity index of 23.4. Therefore, P. bicarpallata extract can be considered as a source of indole alkaloids with antiplasmodial activity.

Effect of Supplementation with Olive Leaf Extract Enriched with Oleuropein on the Metabolome and Redox Status of Athletes' Blood and Urine-A Metabolomic Approach.

Oleuropein (OE) is a secoiridoid glycoside occurring mostly in the Oleaceae family and presenting several pharmacological properties, including hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties. Based on these, several dietary supplements containing olive leaf extracts enriched with OE are commercially available in many countries. The current study aimed to examine the effect of supplementation with such an extract on the serum and urine metabolome of young healthy male athletes. For this purpose, applying a randomized, balanced, double-blind study, nine young, healthy males (physical education students) received either a commercially prepared extract or placebo for one week, followed by a two-week washout period; then, they were subsequently dosed with the alternate scheme (crossover design). Urine and serum samples were analyzed using UHPLC-HRMS, followed by evaluation with several multivariate methods of data analysis. The data were interpreted using a multilevel metabolomic approach (multilevel-sPLSDA) as it was found to be the most efficient approach for the study design. Metabolic pathway analysis of the most affected metabolites revealed that tryptophan and acylcarnitine’s biochemistries were most influenced. Furthermore, several metabolites connected to indole metabolism were detected, which may indicate enhanced serotonin turnover. Phenylethylamine and related metabolites, as well as estrone, were connected to enhanced performance. In addition, possible changes to the lipidemic profile and the blood and urine redox statuses were investigated.

Gentiopicroside targets PAQR3 to activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and ameliorate disordered glucose and lipid metabolism

The obstruction of post-insulin receptor signaling is the main mechanism of insulin-resistant diabetes. Progestin and adipoQ receptor 3 (PAQR3), a key regulator of inflammation and metabolism, can negatively regulate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Here, we report that gentiopicroside (GPS), the main bioactive secoiridoid glycoside of Gentiana manshurica Kitagawa, decreased lipid synthesis and increased glucose utilization in palmitic acid (PA) treated HepG2 cells. Additionally, GPS improved glycolipid metabolism in streptozotocin (STZ) treated high-fat diet (HFD)-induced diabetic mice. Our findings revealed that GPS promoted the activation of the PI3K/AKT axis by facilitating DNA-binding protein 2 (DDB2)-mediated PAQR3 ubiquitinated degradation. Moreover, results of surface plasmon resonance (SPR), microscale thermophoresis (MST) and thermal shift assay (TSA) indicated that GPS directly binds to PAQR3. Results of molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) revealed that GPS directly bound to the amino acids of the PAQR3 NH2-terminus including Leu40, Asp42, Glu69, Tyr125 and Ser129, and spatially inhibited the interaction between PAQR3 and the PI3K catalytic subunit (P110α) to restore the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In summary, our study identified GPS, which inhibits PAQR3 expression and directly targets PAQR3 to restore insulin signaling pathway, as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of diabetes.

UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MS analiza infuzije "Centaurium erythraea"

Chemical composition was estimated in a tea sample, i.e. infusion prepared from dried aerial herb of Centaurium erythraea. The plant was harvested in the Stara Planina mountain (Serbia, 42°43'00"N; 24°55'04"E) during the flowering stage. The flowering tops of the plant were dried to the moisture content of 7.89 (w/w) in a dark place. Qualitative analysis was done by Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-electrospray mass spectrometry (UH-PLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) method. The aim of this study was to detect and identify phytochemicals in the infusion prepared in a traditional way and present it as a good source of biologically active substances and bio-antioxidants. The analysis of C. erythraea infusion primarily indicated the presence of secoiridoid glycosides (sweroside, gentiopicroside, secologanoside, swertiamarin), xanthones and flavo-noids, which promises good quality of tea from Eastern Serbia.

Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and Cytotoxic Activities of Jasminum multiflorum (Burm. F.) Andrews Leaves towards MCF-7 Breast Cancer and HCT 116 Colorectal Cell Lines and Identification of Bioactive Metabolites.

The plants of high phenolic contents are perfect antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents and participate in biological studies as effective agents towards different cancer cell lines. To investigate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities of the hydromethanolic leaf extract of Jasminum multiflorum (Burm. f.) Andrews. (J. multiflorum), and phenolic profiling of the extract. The antioxidant activity for the extract was estimated using β-Carotene-linoleic and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assays. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated by histamine release assay. Cytotoxicity of J. multiflorum was performed using a neutral red uptake assay towards breast cancer (MCF-7) and colorectal cancer (HCT 116) cell lines. Phenolic profiling of the leaves was characterized using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to photodiode array detector-mass spectroscopy-mass spectroscopy (HPLC-PDA-MS/MS), and chromatographic isolation and identification of the isolated compounds were performed using spectroscopic and NMR data, and virtual docking was performed to the isolated compounds against HSP90 (HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN 90). At a concentration of 75 μg mL-1, J. multiflorum extract showed high antioxidant power; 68.23±0.35 % inhibition and 60.30±0.60 a TEAC (μmol Trolox g-1) for β-Carotene-linoleic assay and FRAP assay; respectively, and possessed anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 67.2 μg/ml. J. multiflorum showed high cytotoxic activity with IC50 of 24.81 μg/ml and 11.38 μg/ml for MCF-7 and HCT 116 cell lines, respectively. HPLC-PDA-MS/MS analysis tentatively identified 39 compounds; major compounds are secoiridoid glycosides, kaempferol, and quercetin glycosides, in addition to simple phenylethanoid compounds. Isolation of active metabolites was performed and led to the isolation and identification of four compounds. On the basis of docking study using HSP90 legend, kaempferol neohesperidoside showed a high cytotoxic potential supported by a high affinity score towards HSP90 legend protein. Jasminum multiflorum is a good candidate to isolate cytotoxic agents.

Phytochemical and in silico studies for potential constituents from Centaurium spicatum as candidates against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

In the present study, a new secoiridoid glycoside lisianthoside II 1, along with seven known compounds 2–8, were isolated from Centaurium spicatum L. In-silico molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation against SARS-CoV-2 Main protease (Mpro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) were conducted. The affinity docking scores revealed that 8 is the best bound ligand to Mpro active site with binding energy of −14.9877 kcal/mol (RSMD = 1.16 Å), while 6 was the highest against RdRp (−16.9572 kcal/mol, RMSD = 1.01 Å). Moreover, the molecular dynamic simulation revealed that 8 with a (ΔG) of −7.9 kcal/mol (RMSD value of 2.6 Å) and 6 (RMSD value of 1.6 Å) and binding free energy (ΔG) of −7.1 kcal/mol achieved the highest stability over 50 ns of MDS inside the Mpro and RdRp enzyme’s active site, respectively. Hence, the isolated compounds could be a good lead for development of new leads targeting COVID-19.

Microglial M2 Polarization Mediated the Neuroprotective Effect of Morroniside in Transient MCAO-Induced Mice.

Morroniside, a secoiridoid glycoside from Cornus officinalis, is a class of small molecule non-peptide glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and possess many important biomedical functions. Our previous studies reported that GLP-1R agonist exenatide promoted M2 polarization and the expression of cell-specific anti-inflammatory factor interleukin-10 in neuropathological pain model. In this study, we proved that morroniside not only induced M2 polarization and stimulated interleukin-10 expression specifically in cortical primary microglia by p38β mitogen-activated protein kinases pathway but also protected nerve cells against H2O2-induced cell oxidative damage and prohibited ischemic injury by reducing infarct size, which is at least in part mediated by enhanced expression of microglial interleukin-10. In the cortical penumbra area in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice. In general, our results indicated that GLP-1R agonist morroniside might play a neuroprotective effect by inducing M2 polarization, and cyclic-AMP/protein kinase A/p38β pathway might mediate morroniside-induced expression of interleukin-10 protein in M2 microglia.

Oleuropein Enhances Stress Resistance and Extends Lifespan via Insulin/IGF-1 and SKN-1/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Oleuropein (OLE) is a secoiridoid glycoside that mainly exists in olives with multifaceted health benefits. The present study aimed to investigate the stress resistance and lifespan extension effects of OLE in Caenorhabditis elegans. The results showed that OLE could significantly prolong the lifespan of C. elegans by 22.29%. Treatment with OLE also significantly increased the survival rates of worms against lethal heat shock and oxidative stress. Meanwhile, OLE supplementation increased the expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes and suppressed the generation of malondialdehyde in nematodes. In addition, the results from mutants implied that OLE might mediate longevity and stress resistance via DAF-16/FoxO, which played a vital role in the insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS) pathway. To further identify the molecular targets of OLE, mRNA level and loss-of-function mutants of IIS-associated genes were investigated. The data revealed that OLE activated IIS by down-regulating the upstream components, daf-2 and age-1. Furthermore, another stress response and longevity pathway in parallel to DAF-16, SKN-1/Nrf2, was also shown to involve in OLE-induced beneficial effects. Collectively, these results provide the theoretical basis that OLE could enhance the stress resistance and increase the lifespan of C. elegans through the IIS and SKN-1/Nrf2 signaling pathways.

Developmental toxicity, antioxidant, and marker enzyme assessment of swertiamarin in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

A secoiridoid glycoside called swertiamarin has been widely used as a herbal medicine for many decades. In particular, swertiamarin from the Enicostema axillare herb has been used as a multipurpose drug to treat innumerable health problems. As this medicine is consumed orally, its toxicity level should be determined. To examine the safety of this compound, toxicology work was done in zebrafish, and this is the first report to describe swertiamarin toxicity in zebrafish. Zebrafish embryos were used in this swertiamarin toxicity study, and morphological changes were observed. Further, the compound was also studied in adult zebrafish to determine the impact of the compound on the fish liver. Enzyme profiling with superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, reduced glutathione levels, glutathione S-transferase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminases, lipid peroxidation, Na+ /K+ -ATPase, and glutamic pyruvic transaminases) was evaluated (p ≤ 0.05). Results suggest that swertiamarin is a safe drug only at a low concentration (40 µM). This study also shows that even herbal medicinal compounds may be toxic to humans at higher dosages. Hence, irrespective of whether a drug is synthetic or natural, it needs to be tested for its toxicity before use in humans.

A novel comparative chromatographic research of secoiridoid glycosides in two species of centaury herb

The aim: A novel comparative analysis of the secoiridoid glycosides composition in Centaurium erythraea Rafn. and Cеntaurium pulchellum (Sw.) Druce has being described. Swertiamarin has been chosen as an active marker and its comparative quantitative estimation in two species of the raw material has been carried out by HPLC method.
 Materials and methods: The quantitative HPLC analysis of swertiamarin was conducted using a chromatographic column ACE 5 C18. Methanol and 0,5 % acetic acid aqueous solution were used as mobile phases; the chromatographic procedure was carried out in a gradient mode.
 Results: The content of swertiamarin in the C. pulchellum herb ranges from 2.51 to 3.07 mg/100 mg. In that time swertiamarin content in C. erythraea herb varies and depends from 3.83 to 8.94 mg/100 mg. The content of swertiamarin in C. pulchellum herb is much lower than in C. erythraea herb. Taking into account this fact the possibility of using of C. pulchellum herb for medicine instead of C. erythraea herb must be proven additionally by biological experiments. Also it could be preliminary concluded that the most appropriate climate for swertiamarin accumulation in C. erythraea herb is located in Central and Eastern parts of Ukraine.
 Conclusions: It was discovered that the main representative of secoiridoid glycosides in C. erythraea is swertiamarin when in C. pulchellum Druce that are represented by both sweroside and swertiamarin. A more perspective raw material – C. erythraea herb, according to the content of swertiamarin, was chosen