Anatomical Characterization and UHPLC-MS Analysis of Hypericum vesiculosum

Abstract

In this study, we characterized Hypericum vesiculosum Griseb. (sect. Drosocarpium), Hypericaceae, a Balkan endemic and Greek subendemic species, which was collected from the Peloponnese (Greece). The anatomical study showed that its leaves are dorsiventral and hypostomatic, and the major part of its circular stem is filled with xylem. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection and mass spectrometry analysis of the methanolic extract of the aerial parts revealed 25 compounds, and the concentration of the 18 major ingredients was determined with a validated method of liquid chromatography coupled with diode-array detection. Flavonoids were the most abundant group of compounds (> 100 mg/g of dry extract) with I3,II8-biapigenin, apigenin hexoside, isoquercitrin, quercetin, and hyperoside as the major dereplicated constituents. Chlorogenic acid was abundant (9.34 ± 0.22 mg/g) and the content of naphthodianthrones was comparable to that in H. perforatum. Only one phloroglucinol could be quantified at a very low concentration and that was not hyperforin. This is the first chemical analysis of its methanolic extract and anatomical characterization of its vegetative tissues. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]