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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.