Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS ON FOUR GALIUM SPECIES (RUBIACEAE) FROM ROMANIA

ANDREI MOCAN1, GIANINA CRIȘAN1*, LAURIAN VLASE1,2, BIANCA IVĂNESCU3, ALEXANDRU SABIN BĂDĂRĂU4, ANDREEA LETIȚIA ARSENE5

1.Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8, V. Babes Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2.Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8, V. Babes Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3.Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, “Gr. T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 16, Universitatii Street, Iași, Romania
4.Department of Environmental Science, “Babeș-Bolyai” University, 30, Fântânele Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
5.Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6, Traian Vuia Street, sector 2, Bucharest, Romania

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Galium species are used as diuretics, choleretics, against diarrhea and in the treatment of some stomach complaints, gout and epilepsy in folk medicine. Most of these species have been extensively investigated for antraquinones and iridoids but little is known about other bioactive compounds classes. Our research aimed to investigate the chemical composition of four Romanian species of Galium in order to bring new data related to their content in polyphenolcarboxilic acids, sterols and methoxylated flavones. Caffeic and chlorogenic acids were identified in all samples, the richest source of chlorogenic acid being G. odoratum (10387.8 ± 45.67 μg/g). Regarding the sterolic pattern, β-sitosterol and campesterol were detected in all species, the richest source being G. mollugo (219.02 ± 7.24 μg/g and respectively, 15 ± 0.08 μg/g). Hispidulin was the only identified methoxylated flavone and its highest amount was detected in G. mollugo (50.41 ± 0.03 μg/g).