Determination of changes of common lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis L.) composition of biologically active substances during different phenological phases using instrumental analysis methods

One of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation goals is to secure mankind ability to fully utilize the potential of plants, thus improving our livelihood and well-being. To optimize the use of medicinal plants an extensive analysis of their biologically active substances is needed. Comparative analysis of volatile, phenolic compounds, flavonoids and radical scavenging activity of different phenophases in medicinal plant common lungwrot (Pulmonaria officinalis L.) was carried out by means of spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. 19 volatile compounds have been identified. The content of phenolic compounds ranged between 110.35 – 118.06 mg of rutin equivalents (RE)/g of which rutin was found to be the most prevalent. Total flavonoid content was found to be lower. i.e. 87.33 – 93.81 mg RE/g. Radical scavenging capacity ranged from 97.41 to 114.33 mg RE/g and was found to be the lowest during open the flowering phenophase – 97.41 mg RE/g. Radical scavenging activity reached a maximum during full flowering phenophase, but there were no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between radical scavenging capacity of full flowering, end of flowering and fruit ripening phenophases, leading to a conclusion that medicinal plant material can be harvested at any time during the three phenophases to maximize the effectiveness of its use as a high quality antioxidant medicinal plant raw materialBiochemijos katedraBotanikos sodasGamtos mokslų fakultetasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta