Screening by thermoluminescence method the quantity of biologically active compounds from tribulus terrestris plants with different origin

Abstract

Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae) is an annual prostrate medicinal plant that is widely used for treatment of sexual deficiency, as an affrodiziak. Steriodal saponins and rutin are among the basic compounds responsible for the biological activities of T. terrestris extracts. In the present study a comparative analysis of thermoluminescence (TL) emission parameters and the content of steriodal saponins and rutin from three different origins of Tribulus terrsetris (Turkey, Hungary and Bulgaria) was presented. The plants were cultivated at identical conditions on the field near Sofia and the samples were collected in the stage of full blossoming and seedling. The observed correlation between TL properties of the leaves and the content of the dominating biologically active compounds of the samples—furostanol saponins, can be consider as an possibility TL method to be used for early screening the quality of the herb. © 2010 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.