Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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CHEMICAL RESEARCH OF CAROTENOIDS FROM CHENOPODIUM BONUS HENRICUS L. (CHENOPODIACEAE)

DANIELA HANGANU1, NELI OLAH2, LAURIAN VLASE3*, ANGELA MĂRCULESCU4, ADELA PINTEA5

1Department of Pharmacognosy – Phytoterapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Haţieganu”, Cluj-Napoca, I.Creangă str., no. 12, Romania
2 Department of Pharmaceutical Industry, “Vasile Goldis” University, Arad and S.C. PlantExtrakt SRL, Radaia, Cluj, 407059, Romania
3 Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Univesrity of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, Cluj-Napoca, 12 Ion Creanga St., Romania
4 “Transilvania” University, Department of Alimentary Chemistry, Braşov, Romania
5 University of Agriculture Sciences and Veterinary Medecine, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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Chenopodium bonus henricus L. belongs to the Chenopodiaceae family and grows spontaneously in Romania. It is used for its wound healing, anti-arthritis and anticough properties. The plant also has nutritional value due to its high protein and iron content. The studies of the carotenoids in Chenopodium bonus henricus L., performed by spectral and chromatographic (high pressure liquid chromatography - photodiode array: HPLC-PDA) methods, are mentioned for the first time in this study. The analysis were performed on both saponified and non-saponified extracts. The aerial part of the plant (herba) contains 344.1mg total carotenoids/100g dry weight (51.3mg total carotenoids/100g fresh weight). Five xanthophylls were identified and quantified: neoxanthin, violaxanthin, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-cryptoxantin, and two carotenes: α-carotene and β-carotene. In the non-saponified extract lutein was the major carotenoid (176.54mg/100g dry weight), followed by β-carotene (87.31mg/100g dry weight), then by violaxanthin and neoxanthin. The value of retinol equivalents (RE) calculated was 15320 by taking into account the α- carotene, β-carotene and β-criptoxanthin content. The results demonstrate that Chenopodium bonus henricus L. represents a rich source of provitamin A carotenoids and lutein, with high nutritional value. Raw plant or standardized extracts of Chenopodium bonus henricus L. can be used as dietary supplements for improving the vitamin A status and for prevention of Age-related Macular Degeneration.