Preliminary analysis of specialised metabolites of Cytisus jankae flowering aerial part

Abstract

Cytisus jankae Velen. (Fabaceae) is a dwarfish shrub (10–25 cm height) with 3-foliolate leaves and capitate inflorescence with tubular calyces. The whole plant is densely covered with silky hairs. Its range includes central and east part of the Bal- kan Peninsula and Romania. It inhabits dry rocky places on limestone or ultramafic soils. The objective of this study was to establish the phytochemical profile of flowering aerial parts of this plant. The plant material was collected in eastern Ser- bia (Jelašnička Klisura gorge). In the air-dried herb, by the direct gravimetric method, the total alkaloids content (0.32%) was determined, and using colorimetric assays the total poly- phenols (43.8%), tannins (1.13%), and the total flavonoids (1.31%) were quantified. Additionally, the powdered dried plant material was successively extracted with dichlorometh- ane (maceration) and methanol (bimaceration) at room tem- perature. After the solvents were evaporated under reduced pressure, dried extracts were subjected to the further analy- sis. The total alkaloids content in both the dichloromethane (7.01%) and methanol (3.47%) extracts, and the contents of total polyphenols (13.75%), tannins (2.45%) and flavonoids (4.65%) in the methanol extract, were determined by afore- mentioned tests. Applying the LC-MS method, in the metha- nol extract flavonoids quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, luteolin, api- genin and genistein were identified. GC-MS analysis resulted in the identification of quinolizidine alkaloids sparteine, 17-oxosparteine and lupanine (2-oxosparteine) in both the methanol and dichloromethane extracts, as well as of one tri- terpene, β-amyrin, in the dichloromethane extract. This is the first report on specialised metabolites from flowering aerial parts of C. jankae.