PRELIMINARY RESEARCH
REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC
USES OF URTICA DIOICA L.
NOTE I. THE POLYPHENOLS EVALUATION
IOANA NENCU1, LAURIAN VLASE2*, VIORICA ISTUDOR1,
LIGIA ELENA DUŢU1, CERASELA ELENA GÎRD1
1University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, Faculty of
Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy Phytochemistry
Phytotherapy 6 Traian Vuia, 020956, Bucharest
2University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hatieganu", Faculty of
Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and
Biopharmaceutics 13, Emil Isac, Cluj-Napoca, Cluj 400023
*corresponding author: vlaselaur@yahoo.com
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Abstract:

The use of stinging nettle leaves for the treatment of diabetes mellitus without ascientific evaluation, persuaded us to study them, in order to obtain pharmacological active extracts. According to scientific data, polyphenols are known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and have potent anti-glycation activity. These compounds are the main active
principles in the Urticae folium.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the polyphenols’content (polyphenolcarboxilic acids = PPCA, and flavonoids) of stinging nettle leaves, harvested from culture and wild flora, originated from Racari, Dambovita district, Romania. Spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods were used. A new HPLC method for the identification and
quantification of caffeic and chlorogenic acids from Urticae folium was also developed.
The highest contents of polyphenolcarboxilic acids (expressed as % of chlorogenic acid) and flavonoids (expressed as % of rutin) were found in the leaves of wild nettles harvested in the month of March (4.2295% chlorogenic acid and 0.6237% rutin).
The polyphenols’ content is slightly lower than the ones mentioned in the
scientific literature. The content of PPCA decreases from March till September, both in wild and cultivated samples. The variation of the flavonoids’content differs with the origin of raw material (culture or spontaneus flora). The new HPLC method for polyphenols’analysis is reproductible.

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