Identification and component analysis of triterpenoids in Monarda fistulosa L. and Ocimum americanum L. (Lamiaceae) aerial parts

Despite the progress in the creation of synthetic drugs, herbal medicines do not lose their relevance nowadays. Triterpenoids are quite common in the plant world and exhibit a wide range of biological activity. Medicinal plants of the Lamiaceae family can accumulate mainly pentacyclic triterpenoids which demonstrate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anticancer and antimicrobial properties. Nowadays a number of new, poorly-studied species of the family have been introduced in Ukraine, including Monarda fistulosa L. and Ocimum americanum L.The aim of this study was to identify the triterpenoids and to analyze the contents of their components in ethanolic extracts of M. fistulosa and O. americanum (Lamiaceae) aerial parts under the condition of their farming in West Podillya (Ukraine).Methods: foam test, sedimentation and color reaction were used to determine the presence of triterpenoids in plant material; high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used to determine their components' content; determination was carried out on a liquid chromatograph Shimadzu LC 20 Prominence.Results. The presence of triterpenoids in M. fistulosa and O. americanum ethanolic extracts was proved by the reactions of identification and HPLC. Effective extraction of triterpene compounds from the investigated plants was achieved using 96 % and 70 % ethanol. The comparative HPLC-analysis showed significant differences in content of ursolic, euscaphic, tormentic and oleanolic acids, betulin and lupeol in the aerial parts of investigated species. The most abundant components of M. fistulosa and O. americanum herbs were the ursolic and euscaphic acids.Conclusions: It was identified the presence and evaluated the contents of 6 triterpenoids in M. fistulosa and O. americanum aerial parts. The obtained data can be used in the planning of pharmacological studies and in the chemotaxonomy of Lamiaceae family