Study of the isoflavone content of different extracts of Medicago spp. as potential active ingredient

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Francisca Rodrigues (Author) Other; Ivone Almeida (Author) Other; Bruno Sarmento (Author) Other; Maria Helena Amaral (Author) FFUP; Maria Beatriz P P Oliveira (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Industrial Crops and Products

Vol. 57

Pages: 110-115

ISSN: 0926-6690

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 21 Citations

Scopus - 28 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Agrarian Sciences > Agricultural biotechnology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-009-C2G

DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2014.03.014

Abstract (EN): This study focuses on the isoflavones composition of different extracts of Medicago species (M. minima, M. tornata, M. truncatula, M. rigidula, M. scutelata, M. segitalis and M. sativa), a leguminous crop used as animal feeding. There are some research studies on the isoflavones composition of Medicago sativa, but no comprehensive profile of isoflavones has been reported for these other six species. In this work, two glycosides (daidzin and genistin) and six aglycones (daidzein, glycitein, genistein, formononetin, prunetin and biochanin A) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC/DAD) in three different extracts of these species: aqueous, hydroalcoholic and alcoholic. In all samples genistin, daidzein and genistein were the most abundant isoflavone compounds. The highest concentration of genistin was observed in the extracts of M. scutelata (5.2 and 9.6 mg/kg db, respectively, for hydroalcoholic and alcoholic extract), in amounts 2-4.5-fold higher than the other samples evaluated. Daidzein is also present in high amounts in M. scutelata (19.2 mg/kg db, alcoholic extract). Genistein is detected in several species at concentrations ranging from 0.7 (aqueous extract of M. tomato) to 16.1 mg/kg db (alcoholic extract of M. scutelata). In terms of total isoflavones content per species, results showed significant differences between M. rigidula and M. sativa, considering all type of solvents, being the highest and the lowest one, respectively. In a general way, the extractability of compounds significantly increased from aqueous to alcoholic extracts. The study demonstrates that some Medicago species possess an excellent potential as a source of these health promoting bioactive compounds.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6