The roots of
Eryngium alpinum L. (Apiaceae) demonstrated radical scavenging properties towardthe 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical in a TLC autographic assay. Isolation of the bioactivecompounds allowed the identification of
R-(+)-3'-
O-
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D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinic acid, a newrosmarinic acid derivative. The quantitative determination of the antioxidant capacity of the compoundby chemoluminescence demonstrated half the activity of
R-(+)-rosmarinic acid. To find another sourcericher in this compound, a chemotaxonomic study was conducted. The higher content was found inthe aerial parts of Sanicula
europeae L., also belonging to the Saniculoideae subfamily. Althoughpresent in most of the
Eryngium species, this compound was not detected in
Imperatoria ostruthiumL.,
Pimpinella peregrina L., and
Levisticum officinalis L. species from the Apioideae subfamily and
Hydrocotyle asiatica L. from the Hydrocotyloideae subfamily. The results indicate that the newderivative
R-(+)-3'-
O-
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D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinic acid is a potential chemotaxonomic marker ofthe Saniculoideae subfamily.Keywords:
Eryngium alpinum L.;
Sanicula europeae L.; Saniculoideae; Apiaceae; antioxidant;chemotaxonomy;
R-(+)-3'-
O-
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D-glucopyranosyl rosmarinic acid