Phenolic compounds in taxonomy of Myricaria longifolia and Myricaria bracteata (Tamaricaceae)

For the first time, the phenolic profile of poorly studied Siberian species of the genus Myricaria Desv. Myricaria longifolia (Willd.) Ehrenb. was investigated by HPLC and LC-MS/MS in comparison with that of wide-ranging species M. bracteata Royle. 65 quantitative parameters of the phenolic profiles were processed by ANOVA and principal component analysis (PCA). The results suggest that the distinction between the species is mainly determined by the variance in total flavonoids and free quercetin in the leaves. Free gallic and ferulic acids, hyperoside and total phenolics in aqueous ethanol extract, as well as kaempferol and rhamnazin in the hydrolyzed extract contributed to the difference between the species. The significant differences justify the positions of these species in two individual series of the genus Myricaria established before. The statistical analysis of the biochemical data allowed us to identify both the characters that determined the distinction between species, and indicators of heterogeneity of the species that varies abnormally (the concentrations of isorhamnetin and rhamnazin, and their ratio)