Page 152 - Zbornik_Konf_2019

https://doi.org/10.15414/2019.9788055220703

4 International Scientific Conference Abstracts Book
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PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS OF VACCINIUM CORYMBOSUM L. (CV. ELLIOTT) SHOOTS:
CONTENT AND PERSPECTIVE OF USAGE
Natalia Yavorska, Natalia Vorobets

Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of
Pharmacognosy and Botany, Lviv, Ukraine; E-mail.: yavorska.natali@gmail.com
Vaccinium corymbosum L. (highbush blueberry) has become widespread during the last
decade. Highbush blueberry is a long-blooming deciduous shrub belonging to the section
Cyanococcus, genus Vaccinium, heather family (Ericaceae). Species of highbush blueberries
introduced and grown in Ukraine especially in their ecological optimum because are
vulnerable to changes in environmental factors (Shlapak et al., 2013). It is possible to indicate
their physiological state according to the pigment complex, which is interesting and relevant
for V. corymbosum, so as herbal pigments are not only responsible for the absorption,
transmission, and transformation of light energy into photosynthesis but are also biologically
active. Chlorophylls and carotenoids are sources for therapeutic applications, including
antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory action, photothermal, photodynamic therapy.
The aim of the work was to investigate the peculiarities of the accumulation of
photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a and b, and carotenoids) in the V. corymbosum L.
shoots of Elliott variety and their changes in different periods of vegetation in order to
evaluate the possibility of using as herbal medicinal material.
Shoots of V. corymbosum Elliot cultivar, grown in Lviv region of Ukraine, were collected
in the season of 2017–2018. The collection of plant material – shoots of V. corymbosum
variety Elliott, was carried out during the period of spring vegetation (I), the period of
flowering (II), the period of fruiting (III), the period of previous winter rest (IV). For
comparison, V. uliginosum shoots were used, as an aboriginal European species of Ericaceae.
Plant material was air-dried in the dark and ground to the powder. Pigments of airborne
shoots of highbush blueberry were extracted with acetone (80 and 100 %), ethanol (96 %),
and diethyl ether. The content of pigments was determined spectrophotometrically. The
optical density of the extract was determined at wavelengths that correspond to the
absorption maxima of chlorophylls a and b and carotenoids for each solvent. The
concentration (in mg•L-1) of chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), chlorophyll a+b (Chl
a + b), and carotenoids were calculated according to the formulae described in Musienko et al.,
2001.
It was established that the best solvent for extraction of chlorophylls in V. corymbosum
shoots is 100 % acetone, as compared to 80 % acetone, 96 % ethanol, and diethyl ether. The
highest content of both chlorophylls was in the flowering and fruiting stages. The content of
chlorophylls in the shoots of V. corymbosum is higher compared to the V. uliginosum. The total
content of carotenoids in the V. corymbosum and V. uliginosum shoots was not significantly
different at the fruiting stage.

Keywords: Vaccinium corymbosum L. cv. Elliott, shoot, chlorophyll, carotenoids.

|152 4 International Scientific Conference Agrobiodiversity Nutrition, Health and Quality of Human and Bees Life
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September 11–13, 2019