Secondary metabolites of seven Hypericum species growing in Turkey.

Context The genus Hypericum (Hypericaceae) has attracted remarkable scientific interest as its members have yielded many bioactive compounds. Objective The current study presents investigations on the accumulation of hypericin, pseudohypericin, hyperforin, adhyperforin, chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 13,118-biapigenin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, quercetin, avicularin, rutin, (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin in seven Hypericum (Hypericaceae) species growing wild in Turkey, namely, H. aviculariifolium Jaup. and Spach subsp. aviculariifolium (Freyn and Bornm.) Robson var. albiflorum (endemic), H. bithynicum Boiss., H. calycinum L., H. cardiophyllum Boiss., H. elongatum L. subsp. microcalycinum (Boiss. and Heldr.) Robson, H. hirsutum L. and H. xylosteifolium (Spach) N. Robson. Materials and methods The plant materials were collected at flowering period and dissected in different tissues. Air-dried plant material including stems, leaves and flowers was mechanically powdered with a laboratory mill and samples (0.1 g) were extracted in 10 mL of 100% methanol by ultrasonication at 40 °C for 30 min for HPLC-PDA analyses. Results Accumulation levels of the investigated compounds varied greatly depending on species and plant part. Discussion For the first time, the detailed chemical profiles of corresponding Turkish Hypericum species were reported and the results were discussed from a phytochemical point of view. Conclusions The present data have importance in evaluation of plant resources of Hypericum genus in selecting the new potential sources of bioactive compounds.