Unusual molecular pattern in Ajugoideae subfamily: the case of Ajuga genevensis L. from Dolomites |
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Authors: | A Venditti C Frezza M Riccardelli S Foddai M Nicoletti M Serafini |
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Institution: | 1. Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma, Italy;2. Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma, Italyalessandro.venditti@uniroma1.it;4. Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma, Italy |
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Abstract: | We analysed the ethanolic extract from Ajuga genevensis L. (Lamiaceae) growing in Dolomites, part of Italian Alps. Three new compounds for this species were identified: rosmarinic acid (1), oleanolic acid (2) and maslinic acid (3), representative of two different classes of chemical compounds (phenylpropanoids and pentacyclic triterpenes). A. genevensis resulted to be a valuable source of these compounds endowed with interesting biological activities (i.e. antioxidant, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative). The recognition of compounds (1), (2) and (3) may also confirm the ethnomedicinal uses of this plant. From a chemotaxonomical point of view, it is worth noting that iridoids were not evidenced in this accession. Iridoids are considered chemotaxonomic marker in Lamiales, and, in contrast with a previous study on this species, the presence of aucubin was not confirmed. In addition, the presence of large amounts of rosmarinic acid (1) was unexpected for a species that does not belong to subfamily Nepetoideae. |
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Keywords: | Ajuga genevensis Lamiaceae phenylpropanoids pentacyclic triterpenes ethnopharmacology |
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