Xanthones Content in Swertia multicaulis D. Don from Nepal

• Main Authors: Binu Timsina, Pavel Kindlmann, Maan B. Rokaya, Naděžda Vrchotová, Jan Tříska, Štěpán Horník, Jan Sýkora
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-05-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: Swertia; Gentianaceae; HPLC; LC–MS; NMR; phytochemistry; secondary metabolites
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/5/1067

The medicinal plant Swertia multicaulis D. Don was collected in Rasuwa District (Nepal) and the xanthone content of its ethyl acetate extracts was studied. The total amount of xanthones in S. multicaulis determined by HPLC reaches almost 13 g of xanthones per 1 kg of dry matter. The identification of xanthones in S. multicaulis was achieved by a combination of HPLC, LC–MS and LC–NMR. The final assignment of the individual chemical structures was provided by NMR, supported by preparative HPLC. In eight chromatographic peaks, four major xanthones were identified—1,3-dihydroxy-5,8-dimethoxyxanthone, 1-hydroxy-3,5,8-trimethoxyxanthone, bellidifolin (1,5,8-tri-hydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone), and decussatin (1-hydroxy-3,7,8-trimethoxyxanthone).