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EXTRACTION OF HELLEBRIGENIN 3-ACETATE FROM HELLEBORI RHIZOMES (HELLEBORUS NIGER L. SSP. NIGER)

FLORICA NICOLESCU1, CRISTIAN IONESCU2, GABRIELA MILU3, MIHAI NIŢULESCU4, CERASELA ELENA GÎRD5*, TEODOR O. NICOLESCU6

1.Dept. of Toxicology, U.M.F. “Carol Davila“, 6, Traian Vuia, 020956, Bucharest
2 .Materials Science, University “Politehnica” Bucharest, 313, Splaiul Independentei, 060042, Bucharest
3 .Dept. of Ecology, Taxonomy, and Nature Conservation - Institute of Biology Bucharest, 296, Splaiul Independentei, 060031, Bucharest
4 .Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, U.M.F. “Carol Davila”, 6, Traian Vuia, 020956, Bucharest
5 .Dept. of Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Phytotherapy, U.M.F. “Carol Davila”, 6, Traian Vuia, 020956, Bucharest
6 .Dept. of Organic Chemistry, U.M.F. “Carol Davila”, 6, Traian Vuia, 020956, Bucharest

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There are contradictory reports in literature whether or not Hellebori rhizomes contain hellebrigenin 3-acetate, from Helleborus niger L. ssp. niger. We followed the same method Kupchan et al. used for the hellebrigenin 3-acetate extraction from Bersama abyssinica Fresen. We are confident that hellebrigenin 3-acetate came from Helleborus niger L. ssp. niger and not from Helleborus viridis L. since we purchased Helleborus niger from a nursery and a close taxonomical analysis was performed. Further studies such as Solid State NMR, UV, IR, and MS-MS, acute, sub-acute and chronic study of toxicity will be employed in order to fully characterize the extracted compound.